INQUEST.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 826, 14 February 1877, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest on the late fire at Czar House, Colombo street south, was held yesterday at 2 p m, at the City Council Chambers, before J, W. S. Coward, Esq, coroner for the district, and a jury, of whom Mr H. Hobday was chosen foreman. Messrs D. Craig (New Zealand), T. R. Fisher (Standard), and W. Day (Norwich Union), attended to watch the proceedings on behalf of the insurance companies. Inspectors Feast and Buckley conducted the case. The following evidence was adduced :

John Thomson—l am a painter, residing in Colombo street south. I occupied a building known as the Czar Boarding-house. I did so for about two years. I was the lessee of the property for twenty-one years. The building was burnt down on the 6th instant; I was not in Christchurch at the time of the fire, being absent at Ashburton, and I read the account of the fire in the newspapers between Ashburton and Timaru. I left to go to Timaru by the 5 p.m south train. I had no particular business in Timaru, but went to see the place, as I had some idea of settling there. I also went to receive certain monies owed to me for board by parties resident there. On the night of the 6th I stayed at Ashburton, and next morning resumed the journey to Timaru. I bought a Lyttelton Time , and read the account of the fire after being in the train some ten minutes, I got out at tbo first station, and took the first train to Christchurch. I missed the first train from Ashburton to Timaru, and went on by the nest. I found the house burnt down, and my family in a house in George street, The building was insured in the Norwich Union for £SOO in my name. I had it transferred some eight months ago. I went to the office some three weeks ago to enquire if the policy was properly transferred. I did not go to enquire if in the event of fire the money would cometo me. I was bound to keep the place insured, in order to keep my lease straight. I thought that if the house was burnt down the money would be paid to me, but I find it is not so. Mr Heywood now tells me that the money will only be paid to the person who produces the policy. I called at the office on the 23rd January, I was satisfied, on enquir/, that the policy was transferred to my name. About the same time, I effected an insurance on my furniture in the Standard Company. I insured my furniture for £IOO. I did not apply for a larger amount of insurance than £100; Mr Fisher put down £l5O, I told him I only wanted £IOO. The name of the owner of the property is James Eantin. I paid £ll7 per annum rent and taxes included, I had applied three times for a public-house license, but it was refused. I do not know on what grounds. I believe the Inspector of Police reported that the house was unfit for the purpose. I informed my wife that I was going to Ashburton, but I told her that I might go by the midday train. At the time of the fire I believe we had four lodgers in the house. At the time I left there were only two boarders and a youug lady in the front room. The business has been very slack lately.

By the Jury—l was bound to rebuild to the value of insurance by the terms of the lease. I was bound to insure for my own benefit. The lease provided that I should expend the money received for insurance in case of destruction by fire in rebuilding the premises. The persons in Timaru owed me about £ls. The house was removed from the Triangle, and cost, I believe, about £250 originally. Emily Thomson—l managed the Czar Boarding House, which was burnt down on the 6th inst. I went to bed between 1 and 2 a m, on the morning of the fire, having a sick child to look after. I slept in the middle room on the ground floor. The servant girl, five children, two regular boarders, and three casual lodgers slept in the house on the night of the fire. Two men whose names I do not know came in for beds after 11 p.m. The young lady slept down stairs that evening because I had let her room to a married couple who had promised to be in, but had not come. I let in the two men myself. No one else saw them, but I told the servant girl that there would be two more for breakfast in the morning. I do not know the name of the married couple ; we do not ask the names of any one coming in unless they stay for some time. The servant girl and myself wentto bed about the same time. I went into the girl’s room where the sick child was, after I had been for some little time in bed. I did not take a match or candle with me, but laid down by the side of the crib. Boon after this the child went to sleep, and I went back to bed. I had not been back long when I heard a strange noise and smelt the smell of smoke. I opened my door, and I then saw fire in the passage near the dining room. I then went upstairs. I aroused the two regular lodgers, and tried to awake the two casual lodgers, but their door was looked, and I never saw them at all. I don’t know how they got away out of the housei One of the wo was

the worse for drink, and they had a tall candle in their bedroom when they went to bed. There was no fire in the house that night, except a few ashes in the kitchen grate, I cannot account in any way for the fire, I wasthe last upin the house. The alarm was given by me. I had only my flannel petticoat and night dress on. A sewing machine and two boxes containing clothing and bedlinen. The sewing machine was in the kitchen, I brought it out from the room where it had been to do some work with it. The machine was not mine, it was on hire from Mr J. M. Thompson.

By the jury—Our bedsteads and bedding cost us over £IOO, and we lost everything we had in the house. I can give no account of how the fire occurred. None of the property was removed before the fire. I went to Dunedin and back, but only took my carpet bag with me. Joseph Martin Heywood—l am agent for the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Company. I know a building called the Czar Boarding House, which was insured in our office for £SOO, The policy was in favor of a man named Eantin. I know Thompson; he came to the office early in the week before the fire broke out. He came to inquire if Bantin’s policy had been transferred to him, and whether, in event of any accident by fire taking place, he would receive the money. 1 looked in the books and found an informal note of the transfer. On Thomson’s representation that the policy had been transferred, I told him that he would be entitled to the money. On making further enquiries I discovered that the transfer referred only to the payment of the premium by him, instead of Eantin. This of course did not entitle him to receive the money payable on the policy. I did not inform Thomson of this. Thomson came to me to ascertain whether if in case of fire he would receive the insurance money, and I told him he would. Mr Thomas here stated that he represented Mr Eantin, the owner of the property, and he desired to point out that no notice had been given of this enquiry to the owner of the property, which was most informal.

The Coroner said that he was not there to listen to anything of this. No one was accused. He was there to investigate the cause of the fire.

Mr Thomas asked Mr Heywood whether he could trace from his books that any transfer had been contemplated. Mr Heywood—l don’t think I can answer that, Am I bound, Mr Coroner, to answer that ?

The Coroner—No, you need not do so. Inspector Feast said that after what Mr Thomas had said he considered it necessary to say that Ran tin knew as well as he (Mr Feast) did that the enquiry was to take place. Mr Thomas—l must protest against Mr Feast making such a statement, as it is insulting to myself. I was talking to Rantin a short time ago, and ho knew nothing of the enquiry. The Coroner—l cannot allow this dispute. We have nothing to do with the matter. Mary Furze, servant at the Czar Boardinghouse, gave evidence confirmatory of that of Mrs Thomson.

Harriet Wilson gave evidence as to being awakened by the alarm of fire about 4 a.m, on the sth. She had not heard anyone go upstairs to bed that night, except McDonald and Cochrane, When she got out the smoke and fire was coming out of a small cupboard at the foot of the stairs near the kitchen. The fire in the kitchen was out, she believed, before they went to bed. She saw a man when she looked out of her door at the top of the stairs.

By the Jury—Mrs Thomson told witness that one of her lodgers (a man) was coming to occupy the room upstairs originally slept in by witness. The room was a singlebedded room. She was told of the change about II pm, when she went to bed. There were only two lodgers in the house. She was awake all night, and did not think any one could have come in after she went to bed without her knowledge. She thought she must have heard anyone coming in, as her room was in the front, and only divided by a thin partition from the passage. She heard Mrs Thomson talking to the child in her own room.

John McDonald—l am a painter residing at the Czar Boarding House, and slept there on the night of the fire. I went to bed shortly after 11 p.m on that night. Before I went to sleep I heard some one in the kitchen who I took to be Cochrane. I was awakened by Mrs Thompson giving the alarm of fire just before daylight, about four o’clock as far as I could see. Mrs Thomson was only partly dressed. She opened my door and came into my room ; she then told me to get up as the house was on fire. I hesitated for a moment because I did not believe her. As soon as I got up I saw smoke and flame coming out of a cupboard which was at the head of the stairs, I saw no one upstairs. I have no idea how the fire occurred. So far as I know the house was very well conducted; indeed, I had been living there for two years and three months. Thomas Bichard Fisher, junior, deposed to Thomson coming to him as agent of the Standard Insurance Company and insuring his furniture for £IOO. David Cochrane and Ann Delany gave evidence. The latter stated that she was residing close to the Czar boarding house, and saw the fire break out. It appeared to her to originate in the ground floor. Andrew Forsythe deposed to living next door to the Czar boarding house in Colombo street, and going to the fire on the night of the 5 th. Detective Walker and Inspector Buckley having been examined the case closed. The jury returned a verdict— *• That there was no evidence to show how the fire originated, and that the fire was caused by some one, but who there is no evidence to show.”