THE FATAL OCCURRENCE NEAR PAPAKURA.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 416, 11 May 1871, Page 2

THE FATAL OCCURRENCE NEAR PAPAKURA.

Yotr received from a correspondent a few particulars of the fatal occurrence at Pupakura Valley. lam now able to forward you a few facts in connection with the enquiry held yesterday by C. Mellsop, Esq., R.M. The enquiry was held at the house of Hugh Hamilton, a settler at Papakura Valley. It appeared from the evidence that Mr. and Mrs. Smith, after putting the child to bed, about nine o'clock in the evening, put the lump out, and left a small fire alight in the fireplace, and drew the door to without locking it, and then went down to the road, a distance of about twenty-five chains from tho house, to meet a neighbour, who was bringing them some stores from Auckland. They remained waiting about an hour, and whilst in the act of receiving the stores, they saw the flames burst through the roof of the house. They immediately ran. towards the house, but before they got there the roof and walls had fallen in. It was a sawn weather-boarded house, thatched with nikau. It was utterly impossible for them to render any assistance to the unfortunate child, a small portion only of whose body was found the next morning, after the fire had gone out. The evidence taken clearly showed that the fire was purely accidental, and that no blame attached, to r.ny one, tho probable cause of the fire being that a spark might have ignited a bundle of dry tea-tree which had been placed in front of the fire-place for lighting the fire in the ' morning. Great sympathy is felt for Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who are hard-working and industrious settlers, and who, bssidca their sad bereavement, have lost everything except the clothes they had on at the time, besides £7 in money. It is contemplated to raise a sum of money by subscription, to relieve Mr. and Mrs. Smith in their immediate wants. — [Correspondent.]