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Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 201, 31 August 1870, Page 2

An inquiry was held yesterday afternoon, at the Metropolitan Hotel, Queen - street, before Coroner Philson, into the cause of the late fire at Messrs. Watson and Scanlan's. After a good deal of evidence had been given, the jury- returned an open verdict. .A public meeting was held last evening, at the Hall of the Young Men!s Christian Association, for the purpose of advocating the cause of temperance. There was a very good attendance. Mr. Neill, of Epsom, occupied the chair, and the meeting was addressed by Captain Peek, Messrs. Wilkes, Hayter, O. Lewis, and others, all of whom dwelt at length upon tbe evils attending drinking customs, and the good i\ suits that followed the Total Abstinence movement. Recitations and singing filled up the intervals between the various speeches very pleasantly. At the conclusiou of the meeting, votes of thanks were passed to the chairman and Captain Peek, and the proceedings terminated with tho temperance national anthem.