MAGISTERIAL ENQUIRY

Hokitika Guardian, 16 January 1925, Page 4

MAGISTERIAL ENQUIRY

INTO LAKE KANIERI EIRE. (Before W. Meldrum Esq. SAL) At the .Magistrate’s Court, Hokitika, yesterday aftenion, a magisterial enquiry was held into the cause .of the lire at Lake Kanieri oil the morning of December 11th., when the hatchery residence owned by the Westland Acclimatisation Society was totally destroyed, together with the contents, tiie latter being the property of Arthur If. B. Cooke.

Mr Murdoch appeared for Mi Cooke. Air Hannan for the Atlas Insurance Coy. and Detective Young for the police. Evidence was led as follows: Arthur H. B. Cooke deposed ilia! until recently he was ranger at Lake Kanieri for tiie Wcstiaml Acclimatisation Society. Prior to the night of 11th. December he e cupicd a six-room-ed house belonging to the Society at Lake Kanieri. Had been there for 13 months. Was in Hokitika during the day of 11th. December, and returned to Lake Kanieri about 9.3!) p.m. Went past the house on In the hotel. Remained there a few minutes and went back to the house about 9.T0 p.m. Previous to that* was last in the bouse on Wednesday, 10th. December. Entered tiie bouse by the front doin', and went to his bedroom, and lit a candle at the bedside. Did not go into the back portion of the house. Tie noticed no sign of tire when lie entered the house. Undressed and went to lied. Lav reading for n while anil then thought be smelt something smouldering. Tins was about 90 minutes to 11. 1 iie smell got worse so lie leaped out: of lied and went out into the passage. As soon as lie opened the door lie saw (lames travelling down the passage right towards him. He jumped back into tin* bedroom, slammed the door and picked up his coat, trousers and a pair ol boots, and throw them out of the window. The fire must, have had a good 1 ml l l at tin* back of tiie house. Did not hear the fire crackling before lie slnelt the smoke. About five weeks belnre lie had taken tiie gramophone anil records up to tiie hold, "-'i l been Laving ]iis meals at (lie. hotel for some time. Had not. had a fire in the house since tin* Friday preceding the tire. Insured 1 1 is belongings with the Atlas Company through Mr D. Burton, of Hokitika. .A bod, matin-s. blankets, sheets, etc., and a suit case with ciothintr were removed to a wliare adjoining about (iO yards away from the house. When he first went to Lake Kanieri lie tonic up a car load of stufl. A\ ituess proceeded to give details of the contents of tiie building. IL* hail put in a claim for insurance for loss, estimating tin* value of the furniture etc. at £3.-)0. He estimated the value ol his property when taking out the policy at £.|[)o, anil they gave him a pnliev for that amount. He did not know if td.c* sum of £fiOi) was put in the application for tlie* policy. He estimated the loss at C.l-10, and lie saved about £7O worth of goods. To Mr Hannan: lie did not bear any crackling before lie woke up. Ihe passage was about 92ft. I lie fire must have broken out in tin* back portion of the building. The first, thing Hint aroused him was the smell of smoke. The tlalues were sweeping up Hie passage and lie went back into !"s ,'noni and got out of the window. i lie iontents of ins rooms were then enumerated. The values .mentioned were put in by the adjuster. Mr Midway, lb* would not deny telling Detective Young Unit tiie amount of the insurance was over tin* value of tiie articles insured. He had bought .since tin* insurance was eifecteil, clothing at £l9 and u'.b ' articles. He estimated the value ol tin* articles taken out of the house -mce the insurance was effected, apart fnc;i the gramophone at Cot). To Mr .Murilncii: Mr .Midway came and intimated he was a representative of the insurance company. The statement In* made In Detective Young tin:

day after the fire was diderent to that given to Mr Midway later. Detective Young only asked for the larger items. There were a number of articles in the .boils,* made b.v witness which he valued at £l9. -Mr Midway expressed himself satisfied with (lie valuations agreed upon. Had room for I I sleeping guests in till* O-rofimeil house. It was at tin* beginning of tiie holidays that tin* lire tonic place. Lost many valuable trophies, presentation articles, medals. tools and other personal articles. The iolal given to Mr Midway amounted to 9377 Is. noluadv in tin* house at the lime of the lire. Since then witness had remembered a number of other small articles, valued at ('2O. lie was not in financial difficulties. Me hail a. war pension; was at Minis, and continued till peace was declared. He was sillier on Ihe night of tin* lire. To Defective Young: lie denied tilling Const aide Drummond that .lie lalui*d the articles burnt at* C7OO.

Roy Piiterson deposed he was a draper of Hokitika. He knew iho house at Lake Kanieri. occupied by Mr Cooke. Stayed there on the morning of 9th. November. Tile room he slept in had three single beds. Had no other furniture. The kitchen contained a dresser, cupboard, and crockery. The house was iiiml'ortablv furnished. Could not give an idea of the value of tiie furniture. Did not .see the whole of the house. Albert Jones deposed he was a buteher of Greyinuuth and now of Ifoki-

tika. He knew the house at bake Kanieri, occupied by Mr Cooke. lie was present there with Air Palerson. Was only there four hours. Bid rot go through the house. Did not tell Sergt King any value as to the tontents of the lmu.se. Oswald Burton deposed he was a commission agent of Hokitika, end agent for the Atlas Insurance Company. He arranged a policy for Mr Cooke for £IOO, covering furniture, all personal effects, gramophone and leeords. Cooke placed a value of £SOO on the articles, To Air Murdoch: He was satisfied I that there was at least, £IOO ol lurniture and effects, he would not have accepted the policy had he not have been satisfied, lie did not go through the house at (he time of taking out of. the policy, hut had done so the previous summer. His AYorship in giving his decision that the fire was the result of an accident, stated that there was no evidence to .say otherwise. As lur as A I r j Cooke was concerned, there was no evidence to say that- lie had any hand in it. llis furniture and effects had been accepted at their estimated value hv both Air Millway, an adjustor for the Insurance Company, and Afr Horton, as I of the value he had stated.