GISBORNE SCHOOL FIRE

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1375, 9 February 1905, Page 4

GISBORNE SCHOOL FIRE

MAGISTERIAL ENQUIRY, At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday an inquiry was held into the origin of the fire ' at the Gisborne sohool on 23th Deoember last, before His Worship, Mr W. A. Barton, coroner, and the following jury : Messrs W. Miller (foreman), H. DeCosta, W. Good, E. Chrisp, D. M. Orr, G. Primrose. Sergeant McKenzie conducted the inquiry. Mr J. Quigley, secretary to the Gisborne sohool oommittee, and architect, representing the Education Board, produced a block plan of tbe school, Thero were 7 class rooms. When witness reached the scene of the fire on December 26, he found that No. 6 olass room was on fire internally. He procoodod to the door opening into the room. The fire had a good hold of the chimney breast and the wall lining, and had worked itself into tho adjoining class room behind. The book press was almost destroyed then. The fire appeared to havo had a good hold of the. wall before the bell rung. The damage oaused by the fire would be between £2OOO and £2500. Henry Hamblett, oustodian of the Gisborne school, stated that tbe sohool closed for the holidays on the 19th December last. Witness was in the school on the 21st December. He was not aware of any combustibles being in the room in which tho fire occurred. Witness went to the scene of tho fire npon hearing the bell. He could not say where the fire originated, as be was not there when it commenoed. He had not had a fire in the sohool since tho 19th December, and he was not aware of any one else having lit a fire in the school. Witness was custodian of all the keys, but sometimes the teachers had a bey. All the doors were locked between the 21st and 26th Deoember.

By the foreman—Witness gave Mr Cowan a key some months before the fire. There had been no fire in the sohool sinoe the end of August. Witness saw everything looked up safely on the 21st Deoember.

E. D. Smith, chemist, stated he paesed the Gisborne school at 7.45 a.m. on 26th Decembor. Witnoss saw no sign of fire. Constable Thomas Keonan stated he was on duty in Gladstone Road on the 26th December last. The firoboll was ruog about 8 o’clock, and ho went to the school and found it on fire at the corner nearest the main street. Rev Dawson Thomas stated that he lived opposite the Gisborne school. On the morning of the 26th Dsoomber he heard a heavy dull explosion, whfoh appeared to be in front of his house. The i firebell rang shortly after. By tho foreman—He was not aware of any blasting work going on in the vicinity. George Morgan, saddler, stated that when passing the Gisborne school on tho 26th Decembor, he heard some ono call out fire. Ho went in and pushed up one of the windows of the school and noticed that about 6ft from the floor there was a fire in tho casing of tho chimney. The fire Had a big hold at that time. The fire appeared to have started level with the top -of the book press. It was burning very fiercely. By the jury—He did not see anything that would indicate that there had been j an explosion. The window was unfastened. P. J. Rowley, head master of the Gisborne District High Hchool, stated that he was absent from Gisborne on the 26th December. There was a small quantity of gunpowder in a cupboard in No. 3 room. No chemical experiments had been conducted to his knowledge in the schoo for at least six months.

By the foreman—Mr Cowan left Gis- | borne on the 21gt December. J. S. Wauohop, second assistant master at the Gisborne Distriot High School, stated that_ no explosives were stored in standard six room. Witness knew that chemicals were stored in the cupboard of No 3 room. The distance between the cupboard, where the explosives were kept, and the place where the fire originated, would be about 14ft.

His Worship—There appears to me to be nothing to throw any light on the origin of the fire. It did occur to me at one time that it was possible the fire might have occurred by the radiation of the sun through one of the glass windows, which might have have caused one of the dry boards to ignite. However there is nothing to show how the fire did oecnr, and this is only a suggestion that occurred to my mind. Do you wish to retire, gentlemen ?

The forman—No, I think not. The jury in a few minutes returned a verdict, “ that there was no evidence to show the origin of the fire.” His Worship—l quite concur with that gentlemen. I do not see how you could arrive at any other verdict,