BOARDING-HOUSE FIRE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16501, 31 July 1919, Page 4

BOARDING-HOUSE FIRE.

A CORONER’S COMMENT. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, July 30. An inquest was concluded to-day oil the bodies of Duncan MacDonnelland Samuel Doeherty, victims of the board-ing-house fire iu Cargill Street. The fact that the place was not licensed drew tho comment from the coroner that if the City Council officials had exercised greater vigilance tho position would have been improved in the. direction of live escapes, though tho absence of escapes did not enter into the reasons for tho deaths in those two eases. Her added that he would recommend the Council to see that in cates of bowdingJiouscs fire extinguishers were provided. In giving his verdict that MnoDonnell died frou suffocation and burns and Doeherty from shock, the coroner said ho must say ho. did net think for one moment he had got a correct story. He was not at all satisfied with tho evidence,; whicli, in his opinion, was very guarded, very likely because some of the men did. not like to disclose what was going on. No doubt Doeherty was three-parts drunk, and bottles were also found in the house. The fiiA- originated iv Dnchcrty’s room, but there was nothing vo show bow it started. He thought that boarding-houses should 1-aventire escapes and also means of extinguishing incipient tires. “It has been a most unfortunate matter,” concluded the poroncr, “and has occurred under the most unfortunate conditions. ’’