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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 659, 25 February 1869, Page 2

The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club Races. —We would call attention to two advertisements which appear in another column. The Late Fire in Hastings-st. —An inquiry into the cause of the late fire in Hastings-street, by which Mr C: Palmer’s stables were destroyed, was held on Monday last, before T. Hitching:?, Esq., Coroner, and a jury. Mr Palmer gave evidence to the effect that everything was all right in the stables between 8 and 9 o’clock, at which time he was last in them ; that he had a light in a lantern below stairs ; and that the stable boy went aloft and came down again at that time, but without a light. In three quarters of an hour afterwards he heard the alarm of fire. The fire was in the loft at the corner to which the boy had been been just before. IT. Hollis, the stable boy, said that he had gone into the loft in the dark for sqme money that he had there ; he knew where to find it without a light ; it was in a purse in a calico bag on his bed; he bought a concertina and returned to the stable ; he did not then go aloft, but sat down, and in a few minutes afterwards smelt the fit e ; he never struck matches on going to bed, and he did not smoke ; he never saw any matches in the loft. The jury returned as their verdict that there was no evidenee to show how the fire originated.

Suicide, —Coroner’s Inquest.— On Tuesday last an inquest was held before T. Hatchings, Esq., Coroner, and a jury, on the body of William Gentry, a discharged soldier, and of late in the employ of Mr Johnson, baker. From the evidence adduced it appeared that for a fortnight past deceased having been discharged from employment owing to slackness of work—had shown signs of despondency. The prevailing bad weather had prevented him leaving Napier to seek work elsewhere. On the day previous to his death he had applied at Johnson’s, and tried to get back to work, but was not successful. He was observed about ten o’clock that (Monday) night in Ohancer-road* a solitary spot, and no great distance from the place where his body was afterwards found. When spoken to he seemed, perfectly sober, and said he was taking a walk ; he also said that work had been promised him by the Provincial Engineer. About midnight his body was discovered hanging to a tree near the barreks. Assistance was obtained and the body cut down, but life was quite extinct. The jury, after a short deliberation, returned the verdict of “ Temporary Insanity.”