INQUIRY AT ONGARUE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 45, 30 August 1907, Page 3

INQUIRY AT ONGARUE.

An inquiry was held at Ongarue on Saturday last, before Mr Laird, j coroner, into the circumstances surrounding the destruction of the Ongarue Railway Station by fire on July Bth. Sergeant Ilastie, of Hamilton, conducted the inquiry for the police and Mr Seliars represented the Railway Department. Chas. Otto, sworn, deposed, I am surfaceman and caretaker of the Ongarue Railway Station; remember Bth July last; I locked up the station at 6.45 p.m., and went back again at about 5.30 p.m. I opened the door of the office and put in a card from a waggon and locked up and went home again at about 8.45 p.m. As far as I know the windows were locked, and there was no sign of fire ; the windows had not been open for months. On arrival of the express train at 6.30 p.m. I had a candle burning, but blew it out when I left and left it in the office on the desk. When I visited the office 011 the second occasion I did not light the candle; I knew nothing of the fire till Mr Bennett called me about 12.30 a.m. on the 9th. No fire had been in the fireplace for some months ; there was kerosene and general goods in the office, and cases of goods in the north-west corner ; there was practically nothing stored, only a couch and packages for Mr Hyde, and cartridges were in the north-east corner. A number of people had goods in the shed including, Messrs Woods, Williams and Bruce, Doar, Simmons, Pendray and Bond. I did not mport finding a coat to the police, as I did not give the matter any consideration ; I have had no complaints of goods being stolen since I have been in charge ; during the day the consignees have access to the building for the goods. To the Foreman : I never get a copy of the way-bills ; the notes go to Taumarunui; I have a general knowledge of what comes up, as I generally discharge the goods. To the Coroner: I have no idea how the fire occurred, but do not think it was accidental; I do not think I have any enemies that would do me a serious injury; I am not aware of any person bearing enmity against consignees ; I have no reason to believe that the previous occurrence had anything to do with this fire ; the coat produced by Constable Butler was the one I found on the line. . . To Mr Seliars : I saw no suspicious circumstances that night. To Sergeant Hastie : I could not say anything was stolen by looking at the debris. Frederick John McDonald, deposed, lam a labourer residing at Ohura; I remember a Monday night last month; I arrived at Ongarue at twent3 r minutes past twelve by my time; I could not say whether my time was correct; it was a very rough, dark night. When I arrived in sight of Ongarue I saw a light about the cattle stops ; as I came along to the cattle stops at walking pace, the light then appeared about half way to the station ; on arrival opposite the station the light was on the south end and then appeared to be on the east of station. When I got to the gate of boarding house I lost sight of the light, and on unlatching the gate I saw a light in a window but did not see any other lights ; I tied my horse up and called Mr McNamara to get the key of the feed room ; on opening the door I saw a glare in the direction of the station ; I could see flames issuing from the north-west corner; all this occurred in about five minutes. I ran over to the fire and Captain Coutts and Mr McNamara were both there; I have no idea who had the light at that time of night and thought it strange for one to be about, hence my reason for watching the light. When I saw it in the window I thought it was the caretaker; I have formed no idea how the fire originated. At the time of the fire I thought the circumstances were suspicious and pointed, as I thought, to incendiarism, To Mr Seliars; I went back to Ohura the same night, and did not meet anyone on the vlfay. It was impossible to save any goods when I got to the scene of the fire. Evidence was also given by Capt. Coutts, Constable Butler, and Mr Mc- - Namara.

After a short retirement, a verdict to the effect that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated was returned.