HOUSE BURNED

Hokitika Guardian, 11 June 1929, Page 6

HOUSE BURNED

AN AUCKLAND INQUIRY

v ßy Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, June 10

• An inquiry concerning a lire which partly 1 destroyed an old two-storied wooden house of eleven ropms m Arthur >St. Ponsonhy, on April 30th. .last, was held to-day, before Magistrate Hunt. Evidence was given that the house,* with the furniture, was bequeathed' lafst August to Mrs Catherine Gavegan, and had since been unoccupied. ft was subject to a mortgage of £1250 to the Public Trust ■va,..ee, and was insured for £I9OO and the furniture 'and effects for £OSO in the South British Coy.

Mrs Gqvegan said that she had entered the Hospital on April 20th. She had entered the house to see if everything was in order. This was the last time that she visited the house before the lire. Her husband was away in Wellington at this time, and he did not return until May sth. Chief Detective Hammond said that after the lire ,the police found a line of fuse, such as was used by miners, laid from the front door along the hall to under the switchboard, a distance pi' 21. fe6t. There was a strong smell of kerosene. There was proof positive tlnit the bouse was wilfully burned by some person. r l lie lire went right through the place, and it was extensively da in aged.

Fire Brigade Superintendent Gavogan, husband of the owner, said that the first that he had heard of the fire was on his return from A\clluigton. He.did not .know of anyone who had a grudge agaist him who would ho likely to set fire to the house. “There is no difficulty about reaching a verdict, said the Magistiatc. “The evidence shows the fire was wilfully caused by someone, but who that one was there is no evidence to show.” He returned a verdict to that effect.