FLOURMILL FIRE IS INVESTIGATED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19247, 8 December 1930, Page 7

FLOURMILL FIRE IS INVESTIGATED.

OPEN VERDICT GIVEN AFTER FULL INQUIRY. Per Press Association. BLENHEIM, December S. : In connection with an inquiry into a fire, which destroyed Redwood Brothers’ flourmill at Spring Creek on the night of September 29, the Coroner, Mr E. J. Mill has delivered the following finding:— “Although the evidence adduced at the inquiry was voluminous, and left no avenue of investigation unexplored in the endeavour to get to the bottom of the matter, there was nothing in that evidence to guide me in deciding in what manner the outbreak originated. There certainly were suspicious circumstances which fully justified the holding of the inquiry. The owner, Mrs Ada Redwood, frankly admitted that she solely, except for the Public Trustee’s interest, would benefit from the insurance policies, and that the key of the building was accessible only to herself and the staff at the homestead, but though that would give a possible motive and opportunity, it would not necessarily prove guilty knowledge, and there is nothing in the evidence to justify me in bringing in anything other than an open verdict. “I find, therefore, that the building known as Redwood Brothers’ flour mill at Spring Creek, owned by Ada Redwood, was destroyed by fire on the evening of September 29, there being no evidence to warrant a definite opinion as to the cause of the outbreak.”