THE LATE FIRE AT KATIKATI.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 332, 13 November 1875, Page 3

THE LATE FIRE AT KATIKATI.

An inquest was held at the Katikati settlement on Monday and Tuesday, tbo Bth and 9th instant, before Capt. Tovey, J.P., Coroner, to enquire into the origin of a fire at the farm of Mr Fitzgibbon Loucb, at Katikati, which occurred on Sunday, the 24th ultimo. A respectable jury of twelve residents in the Tau* ranga and Katikati districts was empanelled, of which Mr G. Yesey Stewart was elected foreman. SubHnspector Forster watched the case on behalf of the Crown, and Mr Hopkins Clarke on behalf of the natives. Mr Fitzgibbon Loueh was the first witness, he deposed : 1 am owner of the property consumed ; I was residing in the hut which was burnt, with my two sons, on Sunday, the 24th October; about 7 a.m. lht> fire was lit as usual opposite to the door of the hut for the purpose of making breakfast, after which I remained near the place till about 11 a.m., at which time, ns far as I could see, the fire was quite out; immediately after breakfast I threw a number of oyster shells on the embers; about 11 a.m. we saw four Europeans crossing the ford opposite; they were Arthur Stewart, Robert Stewart, Stewart Rea, and Mr Mulgan, jun.; we had shut down the sail in front of the tent, but opened it again to show them the interior; I then went up with them to the point viewed by the jury, at which time there was no appearance of any fire or smoko near the hut; we then went on to Mr G. V. Stewart’s place, and when we got to the top of the hill we met three other settlers; their names were William Darrol, James Irvin, and Mr Preston, and we returned back with them ; when we came near the spot where my house is building on the hill wo met a native coming towards us ; when we were first at the top of the near hill at the point viewed by the jury we had seen no sign of any native crossing; only about 20 minutes or half-an-hour elapsed from the time we saw the place safe to the time we met the native; the native was on the pathway, ami at first seemed inclined to pass by without taking any notice till I greeted him with “Tena koe,” which he replied to, and then made signs that there was a fire below and continued on as fast as ho could go; I came down to the spot and found the great body of the fire at the opposite side to that on which the cooking fire was lighted; I heard the name of the native we mot since then ; it was Motutara; Mr Dennis Foley was at the site of the fire just after we put it out, and be met the native after ho had passed us, and told me ho recognised him as Motutara; I was never threatened by natives ; I was threatened by Mr Peter Grant that be would make the place too hot for me; I had objected to the way in which the whares had been built for which he had been the contractor.

By Captain Forster The fire bad been lighted about five or six feet from the hut on the morning upon which the fire occurred ; the shells 1 put on at about 9 a.m. ; it would take from ten to fifteen minutes for one to cross the ford, and about the same time to walk from thence to the place where we met the native ; the fire was not made after the time when we put on the shells ; the fern near the spot had been burnt off by Mr Crawford on the Thursday previous; Mr Foley has no illfeeling against the native we met to my know* ledge; he told me that he was an ill-disposed native ; I don’t think the fire could have been burning more than ten minutes when we came down the hill; my impression is that the sail outside the but was set fire to on the side away fro n where the cooking fire had been lighted ; it was a calm morning; it took us nearly an hour to put out the fire. By Mr Hopkins Clarke: lam not certain of the name of the native; lam not aware that Dennis Foley is affected in his head; I don’t think there was any wind that morning; at the time I put cm the shells there was enough fire o c.tanui* tb-uj in my opinion ; I don’t think ti e- a ivr 1 met has any ilnfi-eling nun

John Loud', jun , being duly sworn, pav* • I can fui y corroborate! my father's evidence, a."d liHVr nothing Hi add to it; 1 run wn ihe S,ill before hi in a. d Jouud that the fire was greatest on the side away from where we bad

the fire lit in the morning, Ernest Louob, being duly sworn, B*»T9 : I w;ss down at the fire before my father, ai dwe found the fire at the bark in the opposite direction to where the cooking fire was made ; the sail cover was burning down toward the ground and at the front of the hut, was burnt away at the back ; the miters at the front were unhurt; those ut the back were consumed ; all the water I first put on wag at the back.

Mr Eobert Stewart, being: duly sworn, says; I remember the day of the lire ; I was in company with Mr Louch on that day ; there was a small fire near the hut at the time we went up to the bill, and it was blazing slightly at the time we left j I think the wind was towards the hut at the time we left; I went up the hill before the rest; I stepped across the lire ; I did not notice any oyster shells on the fire ; when on the hill at the point viewed by the jury I did not notice any'fife near the hut. By Mr Hopkins Olarke ; There were two or three small sticks across the tire at the time I saw it; I was not present with Mr Louch when the native met him ; there, was a fresh breeze that morning blowing from the lire in ! the direction of the hut, I

Mr James Erwin, being duly sworn, says : I came down the hill with Mr Louch towards the hut on the day of the fire; a native met us and made some signs from which I supposed there wag a fire ; when we came down the hot was burning, but the fire was more at the hack than the front; there might have been a slight breeze; I did not notice any oyster shells; the wind was towards the water about N.W ; the native had a new rope with him on his back lied; the native seemed friendly; I could Hot say which spoke first; after coming down there was another native assisting to put out the lire; the native wo met was walking quietly. William Darragh, being duly sworn, raid : On the day on which the fire occurred at Mr Loach’s, Mr Preston, Mr Erwin, and myself were going from Mr GK V. Stewart’s towards Mr Loach’s, and on the road going we met Mr Louch, sen., his two sous, Arthur Stewart and his sou, Stewart Ken, and Mr Mulgan, jam ; Mr Louch and his two eons turned back with us, and after going some distance wo met a mnori not a mile from the place whore the fire happened ; the raaori had a rope tied on bis back hanging from his shoulder; as soon as ho met ua lie made signs with his hands and mouth Shat there was a fire on the beach ; Mr Louch started Ids two boys off to see what was the matter, and we hurried on ; on reaching the top of the hill above we saw the fire, which they wore quenching with water; by the time we reached the spot the sail around the hut was burning and had dropped off the lop of it; (he wind was then blowing down the gullies, and towards the front of the tent; one could not have lit a match that morning without taking shelter ; the blaze from the are was going away from the front of the tent; the wind was only slight; wo put out the %6; I believe the bedding which was on the top of the boxes near the front of the tent had something to do with keeping down tho fire there ; 1 think the fire was strongest near tho centre of the but and must have burst out there ; I did not take any notice of any remains of a fire near tho front of tho tent; only tho corners and ends were burnt, none wore totally destroyed ; one native came across tho water and helped ns with pails to put out the fire ; Mr Dennis Foley was at the scene of tho fire after we had put it out; I did not hear what conversation took place between Mr Louch and Mr Foley, By Mr Hopkins Clarke: I could not say whether the native we met had any tattoo marks on his face: I can't say whether Mr Loucli first addressed tho native or not; I can’t say whether the boxes burnt are in the same position now as they were before the fire.

William Preston, being duly sworn, said : On the morning when the fire happened William Daragh, James Krwin, and myself were coming from Mr G. V. Stewart’s towards Mr Louch’s, when wc met him and his two sons, whe turned back with us; the evidence given by lust witness as to what occurred afterwards is correct: the weight of the fire appears t© have happened near the back of (he hut; I was the last of all to reach the spot ; one native came over with a pail from the other side of the water and helped to put out the fire; I don’t know whether a bottle of oil ignited inside the hut, Mr I). Foley was at the scene of the fire soon after; a conversation went n between him and Mr Loach ns to the identity of the native we met; wo met the native a little on this side of the site of Mr Loach’s house; he seemed to be in a hurry and made no signs to us till ho came close upon us; he was wearing a shawl; in my opinion his age would bo about 45 or 50 ; j don’t believe the native was a hundred yards from us when wo first sighted him corning up over the brow of the hill; Mr Foley said that the native when he had met him had not told him anything about the fire. To Kiri Tawaha, being duly sworn, said: I was at my home on the opposite side of the river from where the fire happened ; I saw the fire ; I did not come over to put it out 5 I saw a native going across during the lime the fire was burhing; the native never stopped but went straight up the hill; he was the first native who crossed that day; some Europeans had crossed a short time before the native I saw 1 the native I saw was from Papakura, and his name was Te Uwara. The Europeans had crossed before any appearance of fire broke out; To Uwara had a blanket on ; he was going to the Wairoa to catch his horse, and had a rope about him ; I don’t know if he had a shawl on; I know he had a blanket; the natives crossed about half-amhour after the time the Europeans crossed. By Mr Hopkins Clarke ; I called the native back as he was crossing, and told him to return as he might be blamed for setting the place on fire, and my words have come true ; 1 did not see any one near the place when the fire happened; I thought the native might bo blamed because such things have happened before; the native did not go near the hut, but went to one side ol it; L would be sure to see a native crossing, because the ford is close in front of ray house; I saw the commencement of the fire, end the native had not then begun to cross; the fire began and originated from the fire in front of the tent; the wind was from the N.W., and blowing fresh; about a week previously two of my young men cautioned Mr Louch’s two sons to be careful of the fire as it was too close 10 the hut, and it would catch fire j one of them who gave the caution is now present; when the fire was at its height one of party wont u ver with » pail to help to pin out the lire; I fiid not see Motutara near toe- place on lim: day j Dennis Foley told me that “ You Hau-

bans have been accused by Mr Louch of setting fire to the place the man (native) met by Mr Lou."h was To Uwara; Dennis Foley told nso that Te Uwara was the native accused ; To U-varn’s height is tall, but not so tall ns Ser> ; gemit Russell. Hotohiko, being duly sworn, said : I reside at Pakiwalm across tho* water; I was at homo on tho day tho firo happened j I saw tho fire break out*; tho Europeans crossed over some time before the fire broke out ; about balhanhour elapsed from the time they crossed to the time of the fire breaking out; I saw a native crossing during tho time tho tire was burning; his name is To Uwara; I wont over to put the fire out; I saw the Europeans coming down the hill towards the fire ; the first who came dowir were young moil; the others wore Mr Louch, Mr Preston, and Mr Daragh, all present; the two young men I saw coming: down the hill and one of tho others arc not present; tho fro commenced at the corner next the track in front of tho hut; I happened to look across, and ,my eyo caught the fire; the fire had been burning some time when tho native crossed ; when ho was crossing he had a rope in his hand, and be was dressed in a blanket ami shirt ; I did not see any native cross before To Uwara; I saw Dennis holey on that day ; Dennis Foley called to me to fetch him across the water j I did so ; he told mo that wo Haul)ana were suspected of having sot the place on fire; I did not see Motutara on that day ; I hoard Te Riri call to Te Uwara to come back as he was crossing 5 tho reason given by tho former was that he should ba suspected 5 I was close to To Riri when ho called To Uwara back; the latter did not make any answer. At the conclusion of tho evidence the jury deliberated for about balf-an-hour, when they gave their verdict that the fire originated from • accidental causes.