Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 33, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 951, 23 February 1871, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 33, 1871.

King ar.d party have again left town for, we believe, the Kairaanavva ranges, on a prospecting expedition.

The Eangatira is advertised to steam hence for Wellington on or about Monday next, 27th instant. The Nominatcon of candidates for the Napier Country District will take place at Meanee at noon to-morrow. A Sale of impounded stock (unless previously redeemed) will take place at the Meanee yards at noon to morrow. Showery Weather has prevailed throughout the day, with a fresh N.E breeze. The want of lain was beginning to be much felt, both in town and country. Porangahau.—The principal polling plape in the above district has been corrected from Messrs. Hunter's Woolshed to the School-bouse. The former, however, is also a polling place. In our paragraph regarding the rifle match yesterday between the Napier Rifle Club and the Wanganui Rifle Association, we staged that the average firing of the former team was 35.2, and the latter 36 4. This was an error. It should have been—Wanganui, 39.8; Napier, 38/6. The town companies of the Napier Militia assembled on the usual parade ground, Clive Square, at 6 30 this morning. There was a very good muster, Little was done beyond reading the Militia Act. The next parade, we learn, is fixed for Monday morning, 27th instant. We have been requested to intimate that the Rev. Mr Irvine will (D.V.) officiate next Sunday morning (11 o'clock) at Waipukurau ; and in the afternoon (3 30) at Ruataniwha, (Mr A'Deane's) —We understand that Mr Irvine had an unusually large congregation last Sunday, at Porangahau. The Nomination of candidates to represent the electoral district of Napier in the Provincial Council, took place this morning. The necessary preliminaries having been gone through, the following gentlemen were nominated. The numbers following their names show the result of the show of hands : G. E Lee, 22; H. S. Tiffen, 21 ; F. Sutton, 20, W. Britten, 19; T. K. Newton, 16; W. Colenso, 16 ; A. Kennedy, 14; W 11. Robinson, 10; T. Edwards, 8; B. A. Ferard, 6. Five members being the number to be elected, the poll was declared to be in favor of the Ave highest, whereupon Mr B. A. Ferard demanded a poll, which was granted. Our full report, for obvious reasons, is deferred. The Inquiry into the cause of the fa're in Shakspeare road took place on Tuesday afternoon, before T, H.itchings, Esq., Coroner, and a jury, in the Council Chamber. Mr Lee -watched the proceedings on behalf of Mrs Bell, and Mr Maddock on behalf of the Victoria Insurance Company. Much evidence was taken, but no light was thrown on the origin of the hie. We have no space for a report in extenso, The first witness John Ciareburt, watchman, deposed that at 4.20 a.m. on Monday he observed a great; smoke proceeding from Mrs Bell's house, Shakspeare road, and immediately gave the alarm.—Naomi Bell deposed that she was a widow living on her own property in Shaks-peare-road, where shehadthreehouses and shops adjoining each other. She resided in the central one, occupying one room. The other three rooms she had let to Mrs Searles. The shop on one side was let to Mr Brett at 8s per Aveek, and the one on the other sit'e to Mr Webber at 6s. She also owned a house in Milton road, on an educational reserve, let to Mr Bovves at .£'s2 per annum, out of which she had to pay ground-rent, insurance, and mortgage expenses on a loan of £Q2 10s. The three shops in Shakspeare road, which were burnt, were free from incumbrance. They were insured in the Victoria office for £7O each ; until the fire she had supposed it was ,£4O. She last paid the insurance money in March, 1870. She had part of the money put by in Mr Lyndon's hands to pay next years premium when th,e fire occurred.

Had no suspicion that the Company would refuse to renew the insurance. She had a few small debts, but had not been pressed by her tradesmen. Mrs Searles was in the bpu&e partly to attend to her, as she was an invalid. On Sunday night Mrs Searles and two of her boys slept in the house. They went to bed about 10 p.m. A little girl named Cunningham also stayed in the house that nkht; she had come in

because her father was drunk, and slept in the same bed as witness in the front room. There had been a fire in the kitchen, which was quite out when the inmates went to bed. "Witness was awoke at daydawn by the little girl stining in bed, and observed a light shining between the chinks of a cupboard in the back room under the stairs. In this cupboard was some kindling-wood and a quantity of pack-ing-straw and paper; also a bag of tailor's shreds. There was also a bottle containing kerosine, and there had been some plums there. Thinking the boys were in the cupboard with a light, she threw on a skirt and drew on her boots and went into the next room. She always slept in her jacket and stockings. The cupboard door was *hu,t. She called to the boys, asking them what they were doing, but receiving no answer, opened the door, when a volume of smoke poured out into the room. If she had had a pail of water, she believed she could then have extinguished the lire. After closing the door she knocked against the partition, and called Mrs Searles, who ran down stairs in her night dress. The boys followed. One of them, opened the door and threw about a quart of water —all there was in the house —on the fire. The flames then burst out into the room, and the eldi\>t boy shut the cupboard door to again. Mrs Searles rushed out into the street, and began to alarm the neighbors. The little gill ran over to Newbould's, and called them. In about three minutes the neighbors began to come in; Mr Newbould first, Mr Grant next; they were only partly dressed. As witness had let all except the front room to Mrs Searles, all her own property was in that room. A day or two before she had opened the front room as a shop, and had put her boxes one on another to make a counter. All her property had been put in these boxes. She kept her deeds and other valuables in a small case, which vias not kept locked. She believed all her boxes were saved from the fire, but did not then know where :hey were. Some of Mrs Searle's fancy work had been exposed for sale on Saturday. Could not account in any way for the origin of the lire. On Sunday evening had tea by candle-light, about 7 p m. During tea one of the boys went to the cupboard to look foi vinegar. He must, have taken a Hiiht, as it was too dark to do without one. She did not know whether he took a-candle or a match. At tea they had some cold lamb and cucumber, with vinegar. They had no intoxicating liquor, nor was there any in the house. Mrs Searles had been in the house a week, and had been a strict teetotaler all the time. The deeds of tJie house were kept in a tin box. They had been in Mr Lee's possession until Saturday. The house did not adjoin those on either side. There was a narrow passage between each. The three houses had been insured ever since they were built, about twelve years since. They were originally insured for £IOO each, but last year the insurance was reduced.— Annie Searles deposed : I am the wife of Peter Searles; my husband is at present in the country. I have lived a week with Mrs Bell. On the night of the fire I slept there, as well as my boys. I slept in the front room upstairs with my youngest boy, and the oldest one slept in the back room upstairs. We retired about 9.30 p.m. on Sunday night. Mr Cunningham's little girl slept with Mrs Bell We had tea about dusk. The boys went to the cupboard while we were at tea to look for some vinegar. They could not find it, and I. weri'fTand got it. I do not know> whether they took a light; I did not take any, because T knew where to find it. After tea I trimmed the lamp in the front room and lighted it. ] got the kerosine bottle out of the cupboard, and returned it, to its plaee when I had done with it. The cupboard door was not afterwards opened that evening.

! We all retired about the same time. I was awakened at daylight by Mrs BelJ. knocking with her crutch. I ran partly down-stairs, and saw the light of flames under the staircase. 1 ran back and awoke the boys, who were both sound asleep. We came down stairs, and my eldest boy opened the cupboard door and threw some water on the fire. The flames came out into his lace, and I closed the door again. I was the last to leave the room on Sunday night. There was then no signof Are. The fire by which our kettle was boiled had then been out about three hours, I have been a teetotaller from the Is y th January until yesterday. There was no. intoxicating liquor in the house that night. I had. a quantity of wool work in the shop which was, burnt. On Saturday evening I had, put it away in paper boxes. Mrs Bell packed all her things in boxes on Saturday. She did so to clear the shop and make a counter for my work.— Simeon Newbonld deposed: I am a butcher, residing in Shaket-peare-road, nearly opposite the scene of the fire. Yesterday morning I was awakened between 4 and 5 o'clock by the little girl Cunningham, who was raising an alarm of fire. T got up and ran out partly dressed and barefoot. J went into Mi s Bell's house and saw fire under the stair-case. r*o one was then in the. house, and the front door was open. The place was full of smoke. I ran bark and put some more clothes on and then returned with some water, Several neighbors were then on the spot.— Richard Brett deposed : I am a confectioner, and occupied one of the. houses destroyed by tire. It was next to Mis Bell's. Mrs Bell is my landlady. On Sunday night my wife and I came home from a visit about 11 o'clock. We had supper and went to. bed about 11.15. There were no lights in the houses then, nor did we perceive anything unusual. T was awakened about daylight by hearing Mrs Searles in" che next house crying, "Johnny, Johnny, get up—the house is on fire." I also heard her say something about matches in straw. I saw Mrs Seailes in the street with nothing but her chemise on, crying "Fire." I saw smoke issuing from the weatherboards of Mrs Bell's house and by the time we had got a few things out the flames had broken through. 1 looked into Mrs Bell's, house and saw her pitting on a bedstead looking at the tire. She was dressed. I saw Mr Flynn up, and saving things, but did not see any one else for about twenty minutes. Mrs Bell's boxes, were on the floor in the room where she was sitting. I saw Mrs Bell after the lire was out, and said "This is a nice piece of work; how did the fire originate?" She replied you are a pretty sympathiser." Mrs Searles told me she had moved her bed from the back 10 the front room at Mrs Bell's. request, in case anything should happen. —Mrs Searles re-called : I changed my room on Sunday at Mrs Bell's request. She told me a man had been annoying her by coming about the place inquiring for ' Mr Brett whistle " and if he came, again she would knock for me. When I cleared the back room Mrs Bell desired me to leave the cupboard, and I therefore did not meddle with it.— William M'Donald the eldest son of Mrs Searles w T as then examined. He said; 1 am 14 years of age, I came from Tongoio, where my step-father is working, on Saturday last, and stayed at Mrs Bell's. On Sunday night we had tea in the kitchen by candle-light. My brother and I went to the cupboard to look for a square gin-bottle containing \ inegar. Tt was not there. We took no light. There was straw in the cupboard. There was a porter-bottle containing vinegar, which my mother afterwards got out of the cupboard. Tliere was a corked poitei bottle containing kerosine, and two empty ones which had contained kerosine. On. Monday morning at daylight my mother seized me by the legs and woke me, sa\ing the place was on fire.. I was nearly suffocated with smoke. I seized my trousers-ajid my mother's dress, and ran down stairs. IVly brother opened the cupboard door and threw in i-'ome water. The flame came out and seized the dress in my hand. I let it go, and ran out with my trousers, which I threw into the street. Mrs Bell was then sitting on her bed,?

tj er things were all packed in the room. ghe said to me, ■«' Get out my things; ye my deed-box/' Above all things gave my deed.box. She did not let me jj aV e time to put on my trousers. J „jj o ved the deed-box in the middle of the street, but that did not do for Jier; -he made me shove it into JSTewbould's. She bad a shawl over her head. She told me to save her boxes, and T did so. ghe seemed to take it all very coollv. When T was getting her things out she said, " This is the way my property g oet 4." My mother was out giving the alarm, and nothing of her's was saved, because I was all the time saving Mrs jell's things. All Mrs Bell's things wfi i'B in her boxes ready to be saved, goe had her crockery, her knife and f or k, and part of her Sunday's dinner all in a box. I believe she put them there in the morning before the alarm <ras given, for I did not see her do it over-night. Tam certain they were the things she used for dinner and tea. ghe always used her own tea-things. She did not pnt them into a box on Saturday when she had done with them, but on a shelf. Our tea things were not washed up on Sunday night. Mrs Bell usually washed her own cup and plate herself. None of my mother's tilings had been put into her boxes.— In answer to one of the jury, the witness said that the only thing of Mrs fell's chat was burnt was "an old clock on the wall, that hadn't got any inside or face." —Mrs Searles, recalled, deposed that Mrs Bell's cup and saucer were not usurl on Sunday night,; she had her tea with the others, and used witness's tea-things. Had seen the crockery in Airs Bell's box that was saved. None of those things were used on Sunday evening. Mrs Bell, assisted by witness, packed that box on Saturday, when clearing the shop, and the contents of the box had not since been disturbed. —The Court then adjourned to 7.30.—0 n resuming, Peter Grant was examined, and deposed; I occupied one of Mrs Bell's shops, next door to the one she lived in, Between 4 and 5 a.m. on Monday I was aroused by the alarm of lire. I entered Mrs Bell's house and saw Mrs Searles trying to extinguish the fire. She said there mint have been matches in the straw. [ did not notice Mrs Bell until I saw her afterwards in the street. Some weeks previously she had told me she was very timid about fire, as she was uninsured. Bridget Flynn deposed ; My husband and I were out on Sunday night, and came home about 12 o'clock. There were then no signs of fire. , I was avoided by the alarm about 4.30 next morning, and got up. I went into Mrs Bell's and Mrs Searles showed roe a cupboard in flames. Mrs Beli was on her bed. I have heard her say she was not fully insured.—This concluding the evidence, Mr Lee briefly addressed the jury, who, after an absence of about 20 minutes, returned the following verdict.: —" That there is no evidence as to the origin of the fire. We find that the fire originated in a cupboard within the premises lately occupied by Mrs Bell, and we also find that Mrs Bell is blameable for keeping such combustible matter as straw within a wooden dwelling."