FIRE INQUIRY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 144430, 18 July 1914, Page 7

FIRE INQUIRY.

COUNTRY STORE BURNT. ■ AYILFULLY SET ON FIRt;. An inquiry was held in tlio Pungarehu Hall on Friday concerning tho burning down a short time ago of tlio store at Pungarolm, known as Gibbons and Knott’s. Air. T. P. Hngbson, J.P., acted as coroner, and there was a special jury of six:—Walter Smith, John Goodin. Sydney Hamilton Mills, William Alfred Harrison, F. Henry Layman. and AV.Jiam Thomas Guild (foreman).

Senior-Sergeant TTaddrell represented the police. Air. F. E. Wilson appeared on behalf of Miss Knott, of New Plymouth (tho trustee), and Air. A. H. Johnstone on behalf of Air. W. Gibbons and Airs. Rowe, who were trading in tin* store at tho time of tho fire. 'Air. "Shepherd was present for the National Insurance Company, in which tho place was insured. Tho first witness called was Alexander Hamill, who said ho had been living in the store up to the time of the lire For eight months previous to March lie had" been managing tho store for the owners (Air. F. Gibbons and Alisa Knott, as trustees of tlio late Airs. Gibbons’ estate). Then lie gave the store up, and it was sold to Mrs. Rowe and TV. Gibbons, both children of the late Airs. Gibbons. Ho and his wife continued to occupy the premises although tbc.y had nothing to do with the business, unless occasionally by serving customers when _ the people were away themselves. When he gave up the management of the business the stock was put down at £785, value being estimated on the cost price of the articles. A very successful clearing sale was run by Miss Aland Gibbons, and when tbo fire took piece be would bare valued tho stock in tlio store at under £lO9. On tho afternoon preceding the fire bo was not in the store when Aliss Gibbons was there, and he wont out in the evening with his wife to spend the night at Mr. Harrison’s place, a quarter of a mile away, leaving . the youngest child in the, house. Thev returned''shortly after 11 o’clock, when they put Urn older child to bed. and noticed that everything was in Rs usual state before finally retiring. The night was a verv wild one. M jicn going to Harrison's they locked the back door after them, but be could not, say whc-lbei 1 the two front, doors in the shop were locked or unlocked. There was a door into the shop from the din-ing-room which was never fastened, so that there was free access between tho shop and the living rooms. The store was a long building divided into four sections, the shop itself having two divisions and being longer than it was wide. Some time after they bad gone to bed his wife woke him up telling him she thought there was someone in .the shop. He then sawa light shining between the cracks in tho boards and they w ent down to the dining-room door, which was ,however, fastened. Ho tried to open it, but failed, and then the united efforts of his witc and himself. succeeded in driving the door m. The resistance was in the centre of the door, but lie could not say what it was. Anyway, tho door flew open, and he saw tlio fire blazing in three distinct places—perhaps four —but ho could not swear to it. These fires appeared to he in tlio front of the shop, and wore quite separate, a counter dividing them. Tho flames were reaching to tho top of the shop, and as he saw there was no chance of saving tho building he got the children out as quickly as possible, and then got out himself. He saved a few things of his own from tho bedroom, hut lost a great deal more, about £IOO of his property, which was not insured. He had £56 odd belonging to Gibbous and Knott, but be was not able to save that. Could not say whether anyone would have known ho was going out that night, and met nobody on the roads. To Air. AVilson: He had remained on tlio promises by leave of Aliss Knott, the trustee. 'There were three windows in tho front of tho shop, two of them fairly large, with blinds. AVhen ho returned ho went from tho street to tho back door. He could have seen if there had been any firo inside tho shop, but was quite certain there was none. There had been a fire in the dining-room that day in an open fireplace' (from which there was an iron chimney lined with bricks). AVhenho broke into the shop he was very excited, hut did hot pick up anything. He could not say whether Ids wiio picked up tlio cash-box. during tbo fire. Tlio wind was blowing ,on the back of tbo building. After running out with the babies, be returned to take nut whatever he could, but found he could not get out of tho back door because of tbo smoke. Ho accordingly jumped out of the window. To Air. Johnstone; Tho.ro were volumos of smoke in tho bfick portion or tho place when ho went back. There wore four rooms in tho living part or the house, and he went into two or three- of those. Ho did not value the stock searchingly, hut estimated it at £IOO from looking at the articles. A Mr. Ramson also valued tho stock. There wore a few boxes, ties and celluloid collars in tlio places where tho fires had broken out. There were no account , books on the premises except those used during his occupancy of tho store. They had promised to send the books in by tho end of May, but as far as lie know they had not boon repeatedly asked to return tho books to Miss Knott to be audited. Mr. Goodin, sour,, was at the tiro, and was ono of those first alarmed. He could not say how much money had been taken between March and tho time of tho firo. He judged tho.ro was a fourth firo because tho flames spread so quickly to tho boot-room. The whole place.burnt up in a surprisingly quick time, so that tho fire spread very rapidly. Tho shed at tlio back was about six or eight feet from tho hack of tho building, and it was not even scorched. There were no firo appliances, but somo water was used. Only ono of tho trees to the side of tho building was scorched, that ono being the nearest one to tho road. To Mr. Shepherd: Ho received his appointment as manager through an agreement with Miss Knott and tho late Air. Gibbons, as executors of the late Airs. Gibbons’ estate. Ho received a share of the profits,, and at tho end of the eight months he received a notice terminating the agreement, this notice being signed by Aliss Knott, Air. Gibbons by this time having died. Tho reason given was that tho store was being given nji, but there was nothing in writing saying that tho business of the store was being transferred to anyone. Tho stock was handed over to Mrs. Rowe, who was a daughter of tho late Airs. Gibbons, and Mr. Cory accompanied her. Tho notice to quit came through tlio post, and Airs. Rowe, took possession of the stock on about April ‘A. From that timo ho. took no further responsibility as to tho stock, init was allowed to remain on tho premises by leave of Aliss Knott, through AVilfred’ Gibbons. The whole, of tho stock was not in the building at tho i timo of tho lire,, and tho .valuation of

£783 included tho stock both msideand outside the. building, but did not include book debts. Prior to tho night of the fire ho .had never had any dilhculty in getting into the. -shop” from tho dining-room. The iron chimney was at tho bock of tho house, and there was no firo in the grate when he- arrived" home. Previous to. going out ho had put, water on tho fire. Alinnio Hamill, wife of the previous witness, said that since April b Miss Aland Gibbons took oyer the stock. Aliss Gibbons did not live there, out came from Puniho in tho morning,, and wont back in the evening, tho business hours being about from 10 to 3. It any customers came along after that time witness would seyve them. Iho door in the front of the shop was fastened by a bar. On tlio day before the fire Aliss Gibbons left the store between 3 and 4 o’clock, and witness had occasion at. about 5 o’clock to servo Mrs. Goodin, who came in by tho hack •door, and went- out the same wav. Airs Goodin was the only person who had been served that day by her. "Witness corroborated the evidence of her husband as to the evening spent at Harrison’s, and said she- " was awakened about one L-..;r after coming back, through a light shining through tlio gaps in tlm, lining boards. They had •some difficulty in opening .tho door, hut eventually they pushed it open, and saw tho tires as described by her bushand. Tho bar fastening the front door bad been lost about a week helore the firo, and after that a leek and key was put on .the door by Air. Rowe, ot Punifio. The key ol -the storeroom was Jeft inside, but the- key to the front door of the-shop was always removed by Alias Gibbons. She thought there would only lie a space of "(J minutes from the time they first saw the fire to when the root tell .in. She picked up the cash-box containing tho bod, and was running out of the- door when she remembered she had no doilies on. She accordingly returned to dress,. and put the easli-bcx down on the boor. When she wont bad: tho. smoke was so thick that sho had to jump out ol the. window, and to tho cash-box was lost.

To Air. AVilson: There was some money in tlio till that night. lbe.v had friends at the lighthouse, and visued them the previous clay, staying tho night there. To Mr, Shepherd; She remembered the letter from Miss Knot: cancelling the arrangement, which told them to give up possession on March 18. Subsequcinly another letter was received telling them to keep <m until March 31. Shu thought tnere would not bo more than -fIOJ worth oi stock inside the store- on tho night of the tire. ’To Air. Johnstone; She did not make up rite value of the stock tilth particular care, but she thought it would not be worth more than £IOO. . She had always been tho host of friends with the 'Gibbons family. To the Coroner: She anew the value of tho stock when sho managed it, and it was on this general knowledge that she based her estimate of £IOO. Arthur Henry Gooding, living near tho store, said ho heard a noise during tho evening as if cf someone hammering in the store. Ho thought -it might be. Hamill working, so took no further notice. Tho alarm ot firo was given nt about one o’clock, and 1)o ran 'round to tho shop and saw flames coming out- of tbo two windows in tho front. There wore throe distinct fires inside. Tho building wa.s burnt down in about half an hour, and there -was no chaueo of saving anything. To the Coroner; The shop part of tho building was a mass of flames, and the back portion was lull ol smoke. Hus would prevent any saving work being Sydney Laurence Goodin, brother of the last witness, said that between the hours of *J and 10 on tlio evening or tho lire, he was out on tho mam road near Gibbons’ store. His attention-was attracted by a light in the front window, when no was about 70 or 80 yards away. He did not hear any noise in the building. AVhen ho was roused by tho alarm, he ran down to tlio store, and on the way saw three lights in -tho window's. Ho then wont round to tins back ot the building, and removed articles which Hamill was throwing out of tho window. Just as Hamill and his wife jumped out, tho whole building fell in. To Air, Johnstone: Ho did not know whether tho blinds were up or down. As far as he knew, tho three lights ho saw were the flames coming through the. three windows.

AVi Kupo said that many years ago ho leased to tho late Airs. Gibbons the lane! on which tlio burnt storo stood. One of the conditions of the lease was that tho building, which had to ho worth £6O, was to remain on the land. Ho remembered having a talk with AVilfred Gibbons, son of tho lato Mrs. Gibbous, outside the now blacksmith’s shop. In tho courso of this, witness gave him a cheque' and in reply Gibbons said, “Aro you willing to take that place back now?” Ho replied, “Yes, but if tho building is not worth £6O you will havo to make it good.” Gibbons then said that witness had told him somo timo before that ho would tako the building back as it was, but he replied that now if tho house were shaken it would fall to pieces. Gibbons said, “Tho host thing you can do is to burn tho house down.” Witness said to him, “You burn it yourself, Not if you mako mo king, for tho world! will not do it.” This concluded tho talk. About three weeks later tho house was burnt. Ho certainly never burnt tho place himself.

To Mr- Wilson: Ho knew ho was; toget £6O for the building. He remdm--bereci seeing Air. AVilson in New Plymouth when he was asked if he would allow tho lessees to surrender, the lease. This all happened some timo before tho fire, and tho agreement was made so that witness should take back-tho-lease as from Juno 10.

Heko Alartin said ho was- present at tho fire. Ho did not know who sot tho place on fire, and he did not toll anyone that ho did know, who ■ sot it on fire.

Maud Gibbons, daughter of the lato Mrs. Gibbons, said that early in April she took over tho supervision of tho storo for her brother and sister. She thought the store was going to bo closed up soon, but she was not certain. Her idea was to clear the stock as soon as possible. There were two other stores belonging to the family, ono at Puniho and the other at Pihama. Sho did not know herself how much stock there was in the store, but she had been told after tho stocktaking had taken place. She did not remember what the amount was. Sho had a notebook in which she kept accounts of goods sent tfi tho Puniho and Pihama stores, and day sales were entered hi another book. She did not have either book present. The amount of goods sent to Puniho wero worth £56 4s 2d, and to Pihama £44 19s 7d. She had sold at tho Pungarchu stove itself £196 14s 4d in goods. Tlio •■roods at Pimgarehu wore sold at cost price, and the goods sent to the other stores wore charged at a similar price. Tho shop door was looked with a bolt, hut ono day it was missing and then a lock ami key wore put on. .1 his was about ton days before tho fire. After this, sho was in the habit of locking the front door and taking tho key away with her. Tho last time sho was at the store.on the day of tho fire was at-half-

past three. There were some matches m the store and somo methylated spirits. No one else had possession of tho key. When she took charge of the stock she understood the value to bo about £7OO, but had no idea of the value at th,e time of tho five. She had nothing to do with any of the businesses, Aliss Knbct being her sole trustee. She know tho store had been sold to her sister, Mrs. Rowo, and her brother, AVilfred Gibbons. To Mr. AVilson: She remembered Aliss Knott and Air. Ramson visiting tho store. On that visit Aliss Knott said she wished the door between the diningroom and the store to be locked. She had a lock put down to affix to tho door, but witness did not know why it was not fastened. She was told of the fire by telephone on the Tuesday morning. ’ At- her sister’s place there were Air. and Airs. Howe, her brother AVilfred, and herself. They had slept tlio night there, and there had been a social ’evening at tho house, when friends from outside were present. Her mother's estate was divided among tho four children. Her older sister and she herself desired to have nothing more to do with the stores, and this was tho reason for the agreement made with the other two regarding the stores. It was agreed that the stock should he valued bv Air. Ramson, so that their interests should be protected. To the jury; Tho articles sold by her during the sale were, charged at cost, price,"not Air. Ramson's valuation. Tho chief portion of the goods sont to tho other stores was wire, but she could not •say what the weight would be. Sho could not say whether tho blinds were up or down’on tlio night- in question, but -hoy wore in fair order. Sho. remembered locking the door «u the night in question. Tho goods sold to the Pihania store wore removed by her brother, and the Puniho articles were either sent down in a wagon, taken down by Rowe in a gig. or else by herself. Since the now lock had been put on. she had novel 1 found it the following morning unlocked. If tbo lock was found unlocked on the morning alter the tire, someone, else must have unlocked it.

AVilfred Gibbons, brother of tho last witness, said ho was a heueficatry under his late mother's estate and Aliss Alary Knott was the sole trustee. At the time of his father's death the estate consisted of three stores, Puniho, Pihania. and Pungavchu, ail belonging to the estate. AVith his sister, Airs. Rowo, he purchased the whole of the property from the Pungarchu store; Mrs. Rowo took over the Puniho store and witness the Piiiama store. Ho first learnt the insurances on the stock about ten days after he took over tho simp. These were £3OO on the stock and £6l) on the building, all in the National Firo Office. He took delivery after stock had been taken by Mr. Ramson, iho valuation coming to £702. AVhen ho took tho store over there would be about £720 worth in tho shoo itself. Tho price paid for the whole was to ho £7i)u less 33a per cent., this reduction being made as an inducement for them to take tho store over. it was not known when the stock was taken over wiiat would be dono with it, but it was soon decided to hold a clearing sale. Boots were tho chief lot of old stock. Mrs. Rowe-purchased tho Pnniho store and witness tbo Pihama store. Tho stock at t-boso stores was taken over at valuation. Tho same tiling was nut done at Pungarchu, because they really did not desire to havo tho store at this place. The goods transferred to the Pihama- store wore taken in the daytime. Ho was at Puniho ou the night of tho fire and stayed with his sister. Two friends were also present, leaving between 8.30 and t). Ho himself wont to bod between 10 and 11 o’clock and did not Ica-vo tho house until alter 9 o’clock next morning. A conversation somewhat similar to that described by Kupo did take place, except that tho Maori was the one to open the conversation by asking him what he intended to do about tfie business. Witness said ho thought Kupo must havo settled tho matter about taking tho place •over, because he had put up a blacksmith's shop ou part of tho property. In reply Kupo said ho had agreed to tako over tho building for £6O, but that there was nothing signed to that" effect. Witness then told Kupe liethought it would be better for the Maori to tako tho store over, and Kupo said ho would think about it. Ultimately witness jokingly said “AV-elk if you don't want to take it for £6O, the best thing you com do is to get an insurance for £2OO <m it and then put a match to it.” Tho building was old, but repairs had been done about twelve months ago which made tho building worth £6O at tho timo of tho fire. Ho had not made any claim on tho insurance company for tho loss. Ho took no steps to have tho policy transferred, because ho had been advised by tho agent that it would not bo necessary. Ho estimated tho loss by firo at about £4OO. To Air. Wilson: Tho beneficiaries stood to make nothing out of tho building, firo or no firo, as it was only insured for tbo amount which had in any case to bo given to Kupe. Air. Ramson had valued tho stock at all three places. To Mr. Shepherd; AA'hon they took over tho Pungarchu store tho value of tho -'Stock wa& about, £720. This, less 331 per cent., was what was paid for the stock. The not cost was thus about £4BO. Tho goods bought by tho other two uteres wero taken in invoice price. Mr. Shepherd: Deducing from tho £4BO tho £298 worth of stock sent out from tho store, we find thoro was only £IBO worth of stock in tho storo at tho firo?—Witness laughingly rejoined tha(. tlie goods wero worth a lot more to him than tho cost price from, tho estate.

Continuing, witness said tlio purchase money was not paid. Tho question, therefore, as to whether the stock wa.s actually his or that of tho stock, was a law point on which he preferred to say nothing. AVhen ho took possession bo believed tho stock belonged to him. Mr. Johnstone objected to tho crossexamination by Air. Shepherd. The object of it all was, not to find out tho origin of the fire, but to see if tho insurance company could repudiate the claim or not.

Gibbons, proceeding, said the proceeds from the sales were divided between his sister and himself, and he took possession of the money as his own.

To the jury: During the fortnight previous to the fire, ho had stayed at Puniho on several occasions. Tho stock removed-to Pihania consisted of about half a- ton of barbed wire, 4 drums of oil, 5 rolls of fowl-netting, 2 kegs nails, ono 561 b. box of starch, and numerous other items. Evidence was given by Hamill, Goodin and Constable Kelly as to tho finding of tho look of the front door next morning. It was then unlocked. Tho jmy then retired, and after an absolute of over. 85 minutes, returned a unanimous verdict that the store had been wilfully set on firo by some person or perams unknown.