ENQUIRY INTO FIRE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20106, 9 December 1930, Page 15

ENQUIRY INTO FIRE.

CORONER'S FINDING. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELZGP.AM.) BLENHEIM, December 8. In connexion with an enquiry into a fire, which destroyed Redwood Bros.' floprmiil at Spring Creek op the night of September 29th, the Coroner, Mr JS. J. Hill, has delivered tho following finding:— "Although the evidence adduced at the enquiry was voluminous, and left no avenue of investigation unexplored iii the endeavour to net to the bottom ol tiie matter, there was nothing in that'evidence to guide me m deciding in what manner the outbreak originated. There certainly were suspicious eiiotimstances which fully justified the holding of the enquiry. "The owner, Airs Ada Redwood, frankly admitted that she solely, except for the Public Trustee's interest, would benefit from the insurance policies and that the key of tho building was accessible only to herself and the staff at the homestead, but though that would give a possible motive and opportunity, it would not necessarily prove guilty knowledge, and there is nothing in the evidence to justify me in bringing in anything other than an open verdict. "I find, therefore, that the building known as Redwood Brothers' Hourmill, at Spring Creek, owned by Ada Redwood, was destroyed by fire on the evening of September 29th, there being no evidence to warrant a definite opinion as to the cause of the outbreak."