THE AUCKLAND FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1059, 23 February 1911, Page 2

THE AUCKLAND FIRE.

Sir,—Permit ni>, through the columns of your paper, to drriw attention to tlis opening of tho inquest of the Auckland fire tragedy, published in TiiE Dominion' of Saturday last. I note from the : doc-.' ' tor's evidence that the two unfortunAto ' children vero' actually frizzled alive. Mr." Forteaus (the fither of - the children) states'!' "The street 'was 'full of pebplei' and'it seemed to me there were others on the adjoining terrace of verandah roofs, but no help came."- Auckland I Can this bo true? If so, whero is your heroism? And again, I fail to see froln the evidence that to have snatchcd both th»--'unfortunate children from their cruel .dcath would have required' such .extreme bravery. But for anyone to stand by and sec tho helpless little ones . actually roasted before their eves (which accqrding to tho doctor's evidence took some twenty minutes to half an'hour) is indeed monstrous. And, * further, to think the spectators of the ghastly scene knew that .people were being burned i alive and no one even thought, to acquaint the Fire Brigade for upwards of twenty minutes! I note that the fitr- , ther/-Inquiry, has been adjourned ; till \ March 2, by which., date let us atleast • hopo there will be some fresh evidence . brought forward which will give a silvor .lining to the very dark which must at present envelop Auckland and the spectators of that awful scene in particular.—l ami, etc., F. J. MORGAN. ,