CHRISTCHURCH.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 874, 23 November 1870, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

Wednesday, Nov. 23. James Alexander, Postmaster, Kaiapoi, has been committed for trial for embezzling public monies. He has been liberated on bail—himself in £3OO, and two sureties in .£l5O each. Tn the Provincial Council last night, it was intimated that the Superintend dent had concurred in Mr J. S. William's resolution. The Council then passed a motion to submit the claims of the Bank of New Zealand to arbitration ; at the same time adding that it would not be responsible for any expenses incurred in legal proceedings without its concurrence. Another Government crisis has occurred. Mr Cowlishaw, in speaking in opposition to the Executive, stated that he bad received certain written information from the Superintendent, which he (Cowlishaw) used against the Executive in the House. After the above statement, Mr Hall moved the adjournment of the House, «o as to give the Executive time to consider what steps to take upon this breach of constitutional practice. A meeting of supporters of the Government will be held to-day.

THE LATE EIRE AT POHUL—CORONERS' INQUEST. An inquiry was held at the Meanee Hotel on Monday, Nov. 21, before Thomas Hitchings, Esq., Coroner, and a jury, to discover the cause of the late fire at the Pohui Bush. The following evidence was adduced: — Antony Andro, sworn, deposed: I am a settler, living at the Pohui Bush. I have followed the occupation of a sawyer for seven years. I had 71,000 feet of timber sawn and stacked in the bush, and about 7,000 feet of logs ready for sawing. I last saw the timber on Saturday, 5 th November, at 8 p.m. I had, with three men, been working up to that time, with the exception of about two hours between 3 and J 5 p.m. We cooked our dinner about 12 or 1 o'clock. Our fire was an open one, made in a hole dug out of a bank, about 12 yards from the timber. There was no sawdust, nor chips, nor underacrub close to the fire. We saw over a pit and the sawdust goes into it. The ground was not very dry. When we left at 3 p.m. the fire was out; I am sure of this. We lit no fire after this. My house is half-a-mile from the timber. M'Hugh and Charles Arnold occupy separate whares about the same distance from the timber. M'Hugh works on his own section, and Arnold at his own place. Six months ago M'Hugh and I were partners in timber cutting. M'Hugh had no interest in the timber which has been burnt. Arnold had interest in the timber to the amount of. .£SO. I consider the timber, logs, and tools destroyed to have been worth between JSSOO and J 2600, I heard nothing of any fire having occurred until 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6. 1 heard it then from Arnold, and immediately went to the bush. I met Beynon coming from the fire as I was going. On reaching the spot 1 found that all the timber had been burnt. The fire was still burning,'but the whole bulk of the timber was gone. In my opinion the timber had been burning since 4 o'clock. No one has any business in the bush on Sunday mornings. The fire place was as I left it; the cooking utensils had not been injured. The timber was not insured. J have only two neighbors— Arnold and M'Hugh. The former had an interest in the timber. I Was not on good terms with M'Hugh, owing to an action at law which I gained against him to the amount of <£loo or thereabouts about 15 mouths ago. 1 heard M'Hugh threaten to burn Arnold out. These threats have been repeated two or three times ; they were iuade at the time I was in partnership with M'Hugh. Arnold and I had a section between us at that time. Part of the timber which was burnt came off our joint section. There was a quarrel between Arnold and M'Hugh about water. I had a house burnt down on the 2ud of August, which was never accounted for. 1 will swear that when I left the bush at 8 p.m. on the sth iast. there was not a spark of fire anywhere. The fire could not have taken place spontaneously. I am of opinion that the timber was set fire to by some one. I found that opinion upon the fact that threats have been used by a neighbor (M'Hugh.) My men also have an interest iu the timber. The only neighbor who had no interest in it was M'Hugh. This timber has been all cut since M'Hugh and I dissolved partnership, Charles Arnold, sworn, deposed • I occupy a whare in the Pohui Bush, about 300 yards from M'Hugh. I own a section jointly with Andro in the Pohui Bush. About 38,000 feet of the burnt timber I was part owner of. I have had occasional disputes with M'Hugh, but I never heard him threaten to burn me out. A person named Harry Ingram told me that M'Hugh had threatened to do so. The timber was not insured. At 6 o'clock on Sunday, Nov. 6, I saw a fire in the direction of the bush, but I took little or no notice of it, as I thought it outside the bush. I afterwards, about 10 o'clock, accompanied Andro into the bush. I found the fire place where they usually cooked and the cooking utensils but slightly damaged. 1 am of opinion that the fire took place in the bulk of the timber, and did not begin in the fire place. 1 offer no opinion as to the origin of the fire. Charles Butler, sworn, deposed: I am a settler, and live at Pakiaka, three miles from Pohui. I saw the fire at six o'clock on Sunday, Nov. 6. Thomas Beynon, sworn, deposed: I am a sawyer and timber merrhant, and

live at Pohui. I have been working with Andro, and have a direct interest in the timber. I was working all day on Saturday, the sth inst., up to 3 o'clock at night. We lit a fire for cooking at about 12. The fire was out at 1 p.m. I know this from the fact of my going to light my pipe at the fire, but failed. I afterwards lit my pipe with a match. We all —that is, Andro, Marua, Smith, and myself— - left about 3 p.m., and returned at 5 p.m. 1 then saw no sign of fire. We stayed rolling logs until 8 p.m. We lit neither a fire nor our pipes after 5 o'clock. I believe I was the first to see the site of the fire ; this was, in my opinion, about 2 o'clock p.m. On my return from the fire I met Andro and Thomas Morrow going towards it, Thomas M'Hugh, sworn, deposed: I am a settler at Pohui, I have had no occupation for 15 months. For 2 years previously I had been in partnership, with Andro as timber merchants. I was taken ill 15 months ago. Things thee did not go on so well as formerly, An-, dro then suggested a separation. Our affairs were referred to arbitration. Our differences were principally on money matters. About 3 months ago I had an action at law with Andro. This actios has not interfered with our friendship. I have never uttered threats against either Arnold or Andro, except when J may have been drunk. This witness was subjected to a severe cross-examination by the Coroner, and also by Mr Carlyon (who watched the proceedings for Mr Andro); but he lost his temper, and no further relevant evidence could be obtained from him. Mr Carlyon addressed the jury in strong terms on the utter improbability of the fire having originated otherwise than by the wilful act of an incendiary. After the evidence they had heard, he thought they would be at no loss to indicate the perpetrator. The Coroner, in summing up, recommended the jury to discard any idea of spontaneous com bustion. After commenting upon the evidence, he left with them the following issues ; —l. Was the fire the wilful act of an incendiary ? 2. Were the jury able, from the evidence, to point out the guilty party ? The jury returned the following diet:—" We are of opinion that the fire was the wilful aot of an incendiary unknown,"