THE FIRE IN THE KARAKA BOAD.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XII, Issue 3238, 7 February 1879, Page 3

THE FIRE IN THE KARAKA BOAD.

INQUEST. The Coroner (DrKilgour) held an inquiry yesterday morning at the old Court House respecting the late fire in the Karaka BoiiYl. The jury was composed of Messrs McDonald Scott (foreman), James Kenshaw, Hugh Mcllhone, T. W. Gudgeon, E. W. White, A. Otto, James Bagot, R. T. Douglas, W. D. Reid, E. B. Cameron, itdward Honiss, and Albert Bruce. The Coroner said he considered it necessary to hold this inquiry, inasmuch as the building was insured, and that it was well known that fires were more frequent iu insured buildings than others. The Foremau demurred to the remarks of the Coroner, snd proceeded, but was interrupted by Dr Kilgour, who said this was not tho proper time for the foreman to make any remarks on the subject. The jury proceeded to the scene of the fire, and on their return, having answered to their names, Mr Mcllhone drew the attention of the Coroner to the fact that the foreman of the jury had been interrupted whilst making some remarks as to the necessity for the inquiry, and he asked when would be the proper time for the Foreman to continue. The Coroner said no timo would be proper for such remarks as the foreman had made, but that if a rider embodying his views was added to the finding he could not refuse it. Mrs Campbell deposed that she was a storekeeper residing in the Karaka Road. On Saturday night she retired to bed about ten minutes to 12. She was awakened by the heat and crackling noise. She then saw the shop was in a blaze, She awoke the,little girl, who slept with her and told her to open the door, and she thought she went with her. The flames and black smoke were then coming into the front room. She took her. children in her arms and got outside; she did not remember how. Before help came the flames were coming from the back door. She screamed when she got outside. She recollected nothing further, except going home to her mother. By the Coroner: In her opinion the fire originated in the shop. On going to bed she put out the only lamp burning in the shop. She had some matches on the other side of the shop and some against the partition next to her bedroom. .Could not say in what part of the shop tho fire originated. The shop was looked."No one could go into it, but they could go underneath. The house was on piles. She had no enemy, and suspectod nobody. Tho little girl who was in the house went to bed bofore she left the shop. By Sub-Inspector Kenny: She put out the fire in the skellion before going to bed. It was the only fire in .the house. The only other outer door in the house was in the skellion; it fastened on the inside with a button, and was secured. She had £25 in the house, which she intended for an Auckland business man on Monday morning. The property was insured for £250. She considered it worth £350. Several of her husband's medals were lost. By the Foreman: There were two tins of kerosene in the shop, next to the partition. She was insured ia the Norwich Union, and had not been rejeoted by any otheroffice. The policy was made out iu her own name. She was solicited, and did not herself seek to insure. Sarah Jane Donnelly, deposed that she was living with Mrs Campbell, Was servant for her mother. She went to bed at'll.3o last Saturday night. After some time Mrs Campbell awoke her, when she jumped out and opened the bedroom and kitchen doors. She saw the flames coming from the shop into the front room, and turned back to see, if Mrs Campbell had the child in her arms, and then ran out. Mrs Campbell told her to sing out "Fire," which she did. Mrs Campbell did not ask her to save anything. She might have taken something out with her but there was not time when she got out. She went down to the house about halfpast eight. By the Foreman—Mrs Campbell was, she thought, too much excited to think of asking her to save anything. She saw fire before she left the bedroom through chinks in the wall, By a Juror—The whole shop was in a blaze when she saw it, both front and back. Andrew Burns deposed that he was a baker and grocer, living in the Karaka Boad. He was at the shop of Mrs Campbell on Saturday night between 11 and 12. When he went in Robert Long was there, and also Redwood. They left before 12. Mrs Campbell put up the shutters while he was there, and said she was going to retire about 1, He heard screams, and ran down to Mrs Campbell's house, which was in flames, and also the one adjoining. There were one or two firemen there, but no water was being used. When we left the shop we were under the impression she was shutting up. Saw the kerosene lamp in the shop. It was in a safe position, He thought there would be close on £200 worth of stock in the shop. He was smoking in the store, but did not consider it dangerous, as he was outside the counter. Redwood was smoking too, After the fire he picked up 25s of silver coin, more or less fused, and some pieces of gold fused, but could not tell whether ithad been coin or not, Had no reason to believe that the fire was other than the result of an accident. By a Juror: He was Mrs Campbell's brother. John Nicks deposed that he resided at Karaka, and was licensee of the Olaremont Hotel. About a quarter to one on Sunday morning first heard the alarm of fire from Mrs Campbell, and on going out found Mrs Campbell standing outside the door of her house. He tried to break open the door. Mr Fisher also tried, but could not do it. He then ran down the street giving the alarm. The flames were coming out of the front window when he got there first, and the house appeared to be in full blaze. By a Juror He saw there was no man about at the time. Henry Yernon, agent for the Norwioh Union Insurance Company, deposed that he was perfectly satisfied that the fire was accidental, and the insurance office was also satisfied, and would pay the insurance money at once. Sub-Inspector Kenny deposed that he had no reason for believing that this fire was ether thau accidental. The Foreman said there was a strong feeling in the jury that this inquest was ' unnecessary,

Mr Mcllhone said that he held entirely the same views as the Foreman The police had not requested the inquest, and ho intended to move that the following rider be added to the verdict:—" That, in the opinion of the jury, this inquest appears to bo uncalled Cor, and til's jury would respectfully suggest to the Government the advisability of altering the Jaw as to the system of paying coronors a fixed sum for each inquest." The Coroner remarked that the rider was a most insulting one to himself, and one that should be resented by the jury. The jury returned a verdict that, in their opinion, the fire was accidental, and rejected the rider proposed by Mr Mcllhone by one vote.