Fire at Te Henni.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 11863, 10 January 1902, Page 2

Fire at Te Henni.

THE ENQUIRY. All enquiry concerning the circuinitances surrounding the destruction >y fire of the late Major Brown's reridence, at Te Hcnui, was opened in ,lie Courthouse at 10 o'clock on Friiay by Mr R. L. Stanford, S.M., md before ,the following jury : — C. VT.Lepper (Foreman), G.Tisch, J. RDhatterton, H. D. Goldwater, W. B. 3ayne, and-J. Irvin. Sergeant Hadirell conducted the enquiry. Mr F. E. Wilson represented the owners of the property (Messrs T. S. West on md F. Thomson), and Mr Govett ivatched the proceedings for the Brown family » Sergeant Haddrell called, Captain Beliringer, of the Fire Brigade, who' said the alarm of fire was given at 3.20 a.m. on* December 22, and -when the Brigade got there tie should say the building had been burning for some time. The fire was too far advanced to form an opinion in which part of the building it had originated. He did not place much Value On the building, which was old cir.d dilapidated. Ho had known the property for years, and had seen it about 2 months ago before the fire when he had a look at it with a view to purchase. By the Coroner. :— The morning was Calm, and therefore, the fire would take a long time to trave' from the place of origin. By Mr Wilson : When he inspected the house two months before he die' not go through it, but gauged it.' value from an external view. Jessie Brown, widow of the Jatr Major Brown, stated that • she am' family had resided on the property known aS " The Pines " till just- before the fire. There .were about 18 of 20 rooms itt the house, but some Were small. The building was wooc" with iron roof. After the , death o her husband the property (house anc nine acres) was sold by the truster at auction ; that was about twe months btefore the fire. The purchasers she understood were Messrf Weston, Thomson, and Kebbell. Shr gave up- possession about 12.30 o; Saturday, the day preceding the fire. The last time she slept in thn building was the night of December 17th. Her ston and daughter slept there til' the date of giving up possession. Oi the Saturday morning they vacate*' the premises she was busy in burn ing old papers belonging to her hus band and in- packing up things. Sbr burned the papers* in three fireplaces kitchen, dining-room, and her bed room in order not to have too muc' fire in one fireplace. The fireplace? were open in the dining-room anc' bedroom, and also in the kitchen ar the stove had been taken out. . Thr debris itt the, kitchen fireplace waf burning when she left the house, but she placed a tin in front to prcveni sparks coming out. There was 1" large accumulation of rubbish about parts of the premises. Mr Westoi expected to get £50 for the building, but on her mentioning jthis to Mi Campbell, a builder, the latter "saw the value was too high, and that r might not be worth more than £20 After the property was sold she ha' to pay £5 for damages to the build ing, that- was fop things she had removed which she found she could not remove legally. She did not knov that £50 worth of damage had beei dotie in the house and property fror the day it was sold till it was hand ed over. Some trees had been damaged in the orchard. She-tore a lot of branches- off the fruit trees before the stile because they were blighted : and her son cut down Some trees foi grafting because they did not bear well. A gate got "broken -down and allowed cattle in to the place. Singave nd authority to take awa> purirl posts. She had desired to rc-^ Utih the property for herself am" family, and naturally felt hurt whey a neighbour was a part purchaserShe never thought ant person in th^ town would bid against her. Sh< 1 never made threats , against the pur- \ chttsers of the property- On thr night of the fire she .slept at Mrs I Hodgson's in Gill-street. She way 1 told .by Mrs Hodgson in the morning that the fire was burning. At this stage (11.30) tine inquiry was adjourned till 2 o'clock in order to allow the jury to view .the scene of the fire. The enquiry was. resumed at i? o'cloCka •- - There were so many witnesses summoned to give evidence that it waf hot expected to close the enquiry today.