INQUIRY INTO FIRE.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 April 1926, Page 3

INQUIRY INTO FIRE.

CORONER TO CONSIDER HIS VERDICT. GISBORNE, April 9. Tho eireuinstuncos connected will l tlie destruction by lire on March 10 of a four-roomed cottage at Ormond, owned and. occupied by Frank Harry Doreen, labourer, formed the subject of an inquiry before the Coroner, Mr Ixivvey, S.M., to-day. The house, which was insured for £275, was burnt to the ground, but the greater part of the furniture and chattels, which were uninsured, was removed by tho owner during the fire. Frank Henry Doreen, in evidence, said he owned the cottage and section, concerned in the tire. 1 here was a mortgage of £2OO on the cottage. Ihe cottage was insured for £275 in the Mutual Insurance Company. He was at home by himself on March 10. lie had a live burning in the kitchen range. He retired at ten o'clock and was awakened at 1 a.m. by a crackling noise. Ho found the kitchen full of smoke. He shut the door, hurriedly dressed and set about removing the furniture. Ho took all the furniture out of tho two front rooms, with the exception of a washstand and dressing table. At the back of the house was a lean-to or shed, and he went there and removed a gig, harness, saddle, bridle and bicycle. The smoke was too extensive in tho kitchen to discover where the lire was. He did not call his neighbours as he thought he would lose time. It so happened that by tho lire he released himself ol a mortgage of £2OO and saved the most valuable of his goods, but he estimated his loss at about £69 to £7O. William Goinni. ’bus proprietor, said he reached the scene of the fire at 2.30 a.m. and on going to the rear ol the house saw Doreen watching the lire. Witnos sasked how long the place had been burning and lie said two hours. The building was then all down except a little portion at the back. Doreen was quite cool itnd in no way upset. A lot of articles, saved were twenty yards from the burning house. Ihe "nearest neighbours would not be more than fifty or a hundred yards away. After hearing police evidence regard, ing the goods saved, etc., the torouei said the evidence was so peculiar that he would have to consider it before delivering his finding.