CORONER'S INQUEST.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1401, 27 January 1860, Page 3

CORONER'S INQUEST.

On Tuesday last, the 24th inst., Dr.Kebbali the Coroner for the District of Wellington, in_ stituted in his official capacity an inquiry fo f

P«^ose of asCdiHai'iing if possiFi'e thei)r ; jrJn of the"*n?e by which the premises. of. Mr. John Rollo wero totally destroyed "an the night nf the '2:}i'il. A hiirhly resp.ectn'blc Jury wovo impannclled G. Gr. Osgo-xl, E^o;., Tieirio: forcrnin of the aarm. After a few preiiminiry and pertinent observations from tho OdiVupv, the subjoined evidence Wai adduced.

I Jons Rollo having b»en duly sworn deposed to the following elT.'Ot. lie hid returned home on lie Monday tevenin;; about five o'clock, there were two fire places In the house, one in tlje front room and one in the kitchen, there had been no fire in the front room for more than six weeks past, and shortly after six o'clock on the night in question, the kitchen fire was suffered to go out.; there was no oil, cotton, ot shavings lying™ the kitchen, and wheu he retired to rest about 10 o'clock, the. doors and windows were all shut and flscured.. About a£, past 11 his wife awoke him With the alarm of fire, which at first he conld hardly credit, but on going d >wn stain he found the whole kitchen in flames, which evidently proceeded from the chimney, it was a brick hearth and there were no plates underneath the chimney, the chimney was <)£ inches in the j ims and 4$ inches above that, the chimney was cased on Jue side. He could iii' no way acooii'it fur the origin of the fire •as on ifjfc moat, minute inspection lie could deiqet jip flaw in the workmanship of the chim? ney the arch of which was supported by iron. Be built the .house himself, it wns insured for £150. He had lost everything including his workman's tools which loss" alone he estiina<ed ut£4o.

Jakes RtfssELt, deposed tli.it lie wnsxni Mr. Rdllj's premises almost immediately aftef the fire broke out, that he suw flumes creepingfrom underneath the e=LVe3. He was a builder of some 22 years standing and considered the premises of Mr. Rollo as in every way properly constructed.

This being .all the evidence, the Jury'immediately returned the following verdict " That in the e pinion of this Jury the fire originated from accidental causes but what those causes ware this Jury cannot say." The Coroner then luring panted out to the Jury with force and propriety thatgreatfmportanoe, both by the proper authorities and the puhlicat large would be give:: to any rocontJiendations they might wish to make, and that lie should be glad to reuulye any suggestions from them, which might even" tiuilly tcirl to the adoption of some remedial measures so as to prevent a recurrence of such total destnict : o:i of.property. The Jury again consulted together and after considerable discussion, the. following rider to the yerdict was handed to the Coroner by the foreman. ■' That the majority of this Jury casnot but too strongly impress Hpon the managers of the two Insurance offices in this town and the Inhabitants generally the necessity of encouraging as far as they are able, and as soon as possible the for* mation of two distinct fire Brigades one for for each discriot iv the town, uamely, Te Aro and Thorndou."

The Coioner_then thanked the gentlemen of the Jury and discharged them. [We are glad to notice that steps hare been taken ta carry iuto effect the above suggestion, j