FIRE AT WANGAEHU.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue XXVI, 22 July 1871, Page 3

FIRE AT WANGAEHU.

$ Shortly after 9 o'clock this morning, news was brought into town by a Maori that the Caledonian Hotel, Wangaehn, had been totally destroyed by fire during last night, and that a man had been burnt to death. This shocking news was soon afterwards confirmed by the arrival of Murdoch M'Lean, the Turakina Constable, who had ridden into town to give the necessary information to the authorities, and to receive his instructions as to the Coroner's Inquest. He informs us that the fire broke out between 11 and 12 o'clock last night. Before the inmates of the house became aware of the fact, the house had fairly caught, the flames, aided by the terriffic gale then blowing spreading with marvellous rapidity and soon enveloping the building in one sheet of flame. Five persons were sleeping in the house, four of whom escaped with difficulty, while the fifth met with an untimely end, amidst the flames. It is hoped that the deceased becama suffocated before the fire reached him. Those that escaped with their lives received injuries of a more or less severe nature. A painter who was stopping in tbe house was sleeping upstairs; on the alarm being given, he had just time to open the window and throw himself out, falling on to th« verandah, and from thence to the giound, breaking in his fall several of his ribs. A man of the name of Eraser, who had lately been working at Pa tea, was sleeping in tl.e house, having stayed there on his way down the coast. Previously to retiring to rest, he had taken his pocket book containing £42 in notes and placed it under his pillow. This he forgot in the excitement, and it was consequently burnt. The landlord, Mr M 'Donald, was burnt in his endeavors to save his writing desk, containing his papers, which he was fortunately successful in doing. The cash box, containing a considerable sum in cheques and notes, was destroyed. The cheques, of course, can be replaced, but the loss in notes alone is very serious. A large quantity of wines and spirits received last Saturday for stock was lost, as well as the whole of the proprietor's wearing apparel, &c. The deceased was named Peter Finn. His charred remains were found in the ruins. The house had only lately undergone a thorough renovation and was in splendid older. It was insured in the New Zealand Insurance Company for £'400, the stock and furniture in the Victoria Insurance Company for £250. An inquest on the fire was held, and the jury, after twenty-five minutes consideration, returned the follosving verdict : — " It is the unanimous opinion of the jury, that the remains found after the fire at the Caledonian Hotel, Wangaehu, were that of a man named Peter Finn M'Pherson ; and further that the deceased met with his death accidentally. We are also unanimously agreed that the fire was the result of an accident." — "Herald."