TWO MEN KILLED IN FIRE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 44, 8 March 1937, Page 5

TWO MEN KILLED IN FIRE

-Press Association.)

House Was Used By . Swaggers ONE BODY UNIDENTIFIED 11 1 1 ^

(By Telegraph-

DUNEDIN, Lasf Night. Two men lost their lives in a fire which destroyed an eight-roomed wooden house on. the riverbank at Henley on Saturday night. The house, which had been unoccupied for some time, was used as a shelter by passing swaggers. Two men were seen entering the place about four in the afternoon and at about 9.30 p.m. the building was seen to be ablaze. By 11 o'clock the flames had subsided sufficiently to enable a constable to recover portiotts of bodies from the debris. One of the victims has been identified as James Reid, aged about 55, a farm labourer, believed to belong to Milton. His companion, who as yet is unidentified, is described aB between 50 and 60, of stout build, wearing a fairly good light gray suit. He was fair complexioned with a heavy mousta.che, and he was a stranger to the district. Reid was given permission by a Henley storekeeper to occupy this dilapidated old hoine over the week-end. They were seen to enter about 5.30 on Saturday evening, when Reid was carrying ' a sugar bag. The fire was first seen by Mr. James Stuart Dickson, a farmer, at about 9 o'clock, when the whole place was a enass of flames. He saw clearly Reid's body in the front room, but could npt get near. Indeed, it was not till 1 o 'clock in the morning that Constable Southgate was able to enter the front room, where Reid lay. The other man lay jnst putside the door of the Toom. Both bodies were badly charred.