Local Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 757, 31 January 1870, Page 3

Local Items.

THE LATE FIRE in SHAKESPEARE-ROAD. cokoneb's inquest. An inquiry was held on Friday last, Jan. 28, at the Settlers' Hotel, before T. Hitching?, Esq., Coroner, and a jury, touching the cause of the fire in Shakespeare-road on the 22nd inst. which destroyed the worskhop and contents belonging to Mr D. E. Lindsay. The following evidence was taken : Patrick Maher deposed : Tam a shoemaker residing in Shakespeare-road, near iy opposite the place where the lire occurred. Shortly before 4 a.m. o'clock on the 22nd January, hearing a crashing noise, I. looked out of the window, and saw MiLindsay's workshop on fire. The flames were proceeding from the front. I hoi loaed our- "Fire," and seeing a policeman I informed him of the i'jct. I ran at once to the fire, but it was ouite impossible to arrest it, or to savj anything from the "building, A good many people soon arrived, and did all in their power to save the neighboring buildings. I had been in bed all night. William Churchill deposed : I am a policeman. On the morning of the 22nd ijnsfc., about 4 o'clock, I was standing at Mr Robinson's, and saw a heavy smoke up the road. I ran in the direction of the smoke and saw Mr Maher, who was crying out "Fire." I gave the alarm, and a number of people soon came. When I reached the spot the whole building was on fire. I had been on duty from 12. My beat is from the Albion Motel to Mr Sutton's, or farther. I did not notice any one in particular about that night. I saw Mr Lindsay and Mr Yates about 3 a.m. come out of Mr Swan's and go in again. The night was fine and moonlight. I passed Mr Lindsay's workshop about 2.30 a.m., and neither saw nor smelt anything wrong. David Lindsay deposed : I am a carpenter and bv.ilder residing in Napier. My private house is in Milton-road ; my workshop in Shakespeare-road, On Friday the 21st inst. 1 was busy in the workshop all day with two or three of my workmen. We all left the workshop at 5.15 p.m., and I locked up the shop myself. We had been doing ordinary work that day. There were shavings about. We had heated the glui'pot on the evening of that day in a nail-can in the open yard. I extinguished the fire myself before leaving by pouring water into it, Tim contents of the shop consisted of sashes, doors, hinges, nails, locks, hardware in general, carpenters' tools, 1000 feet match-lining, two or three gallons raw oil. I had been mixing paint that day. The stock and tools I value at £350; they were insured for £l7O. The building was insured for £3O. The tools belonged to myself, to my workmen, and to the late firm of Miller and Lindsay. These latter were covered by the insurance. There were matches kept for lighting the •fires for glue. I was late out that night and returned home with Mr .H. L. Yates —I can't say at what hour. We went home up Neither Mr Yates nor myself called at the shop, but walked arm*in-arm together up the middle of the road. We neither saw nor smelt anything wrong. We saw no one except a man under Mr Sutton's veranda. I can in no way account for the fire except on the supposition that a spark from the fire in the daytime may have blown under the buildings, and Binouldered among the sawdust. Edmund Sutton deposed: lam a clerk in the employ of Messrs. Watt Brothers. On the morning of the 22nd inst. I was awoke about 4 o'clock, and saw the carpenter's shop on fire. My house is very close to the shop ; it caught fire once, but was extinguished through the exertions of some gentlemen. 1 went home at about 2 a.m., and neither saw nor smelt anything. I cannot account for the fire except by supposing that some raw oil may have been spilt on the sawdust. I have heard on good authority that raw oil mixed with any inflammable material will produce spontaneous combustion after the lapse of a few hours. Henry Leigh Yates deposed : I am a printer, residing in Napier. I spent tho evening of the 21st inst. at Mr Swan's, and left between 2 and 3 the following morning, in company with Mr Lindsay. We walked arm-in-arm together up the ' Shakespeare road and over the hospital hill. We stopped once on the road opposite to his late workshop. Neither of us were smoking. We did r.ot go off the road or go nearer the workshop than the main road. I did not see or smell anything. I,left Mr Lindsay at bis own gate. James Yining deposed; I am a night watchman. My beat is from Mr Lyndon's office to Mr Higgins' ; Igoonat 10 p.m. Qn the morning of the 22nd instant, at %

> quarter to 4 o'elack, I was standing near . Mr Morrison's, and saw'smoke in the direction of Mr Lindsay's workshop. At' ' Robinson's corner I met Churchill, who ' was giving the alarm. I sent bin: to the (ire, and went and rung the bell. At about • a quarter past 3 1 saw Mr Lindsay and Mr . Yates going home arm-in-arm. I saw no one else about. The following verdict was returned : ■ "The jury cannot from the evidence before thorn, determine the cause of the fire in Mr Lindsay's workshop." The s.s. Phoebe, from Auckland, arrived in port this morning. She leaves for the South this day. Gold Prospecting.— We have been kindly informed by Mr Tiffen, legal manager to the Hawke's Bay Gold Mining Company, that the prospectors sent out by that company have worked down the Ngaruroro river, finding the "color" in many instances; and that they have : now commenced their researches in . the Kereru country. We trust their efforts will be crowned with success. The Operations against Te . Kooti.—As considerable anxiety i was felt by the public to know the nature of the latest news from the front, we are informed that a no- i tice, signed "J. D. Ormond," has been posted up on the Chief Post i Office somewhat to the following ef- . feet :—On the night of the 24th inst. the forces under Col. M'Donnell cap- j tured a rebel picket, killing one man ( and taking four prisoners. On ad-' vancing next morning the enemy . opened fire upon our men, when a i smart fight ensued, resulting in the enemy retreating, leaving three dead r bodies behind. Our loss was one j native killed and six wounded, and y one European dangerously wounded. " The whole of Te Kooti's horses were r captured. Col. M'Donnell mounted j 130 of his men on these horses to cut i off the enemy's retreat should he appear on the plain; the main body to pursue him through the bush. The , despatch further states that the enemy's loss was much heavier than the \ three killed The supplies from ( Cambridge had been received by our forces. Mr Locke reports from Taupo that ten prisoners were taken in addition to the four above-mentioned. .