The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1867. INQUEST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 221, 20 September 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1867. INQUEST.

corn-dealer, on the Haven-road. When near the Saltwater-bridge he saw a man, an Italian, come out of a small house at the town side of the Victoria, and he was the only man visible there. A man also ran out in Bridge-street in his shirt sleeves from a passage betweeu Messrs West's and Hargreaves's shops. When he got to the Victoria he kicked at the two front doors to awaken the iumates, but no one answered, and he then got a bucket of water from the iron house between Jones's and the Victoria. He next went round to the stable, at the other side of Jones's premises, which had caught fire, threw the water ou it and extinguished it. The witness then burst open the stable door aud got the horse out. Several people came runuing down. The flames were bursting through the shingles and through (he side and roof at the centre of the building; the bottom part of the wall was not then ou fire. He did not see the last witness at, all and heard no alarm of fire. Worgan Jones, corn dealer, said that he ' was afc his premises on the previous Sunday night at 10 o'clock, but only went into the stable to feed the horse, aud struck a match in order to find the bucket. This he blew out, and was sure that it was quite extinguished before he threw it outside. . The store was from 28 to 30 feet from the stable. Witness was insured, bat did not yet know whether he would experience any loss by the fire, of the origin of which he could form no conjecture. A load of hay had beeu taken in on the Saturday previous to the fire, wliich was placed on the ground floor about the place where the last witness saw the flames bursting forth. The hay was about six months old, and not likely to ignite spontaneously. The store was on stove piles, aud the floors tongued aud groved. There is a side door close to where the hay was, which did not fit quite closely, and a match could have been thrown in through it. G-eorge Thompson, proprietor of tbe Victoria Hotel, said that he was aroused by one of his boarders, who told him there was a fire at the end of the house. On getting up he found it burning, und then, having put on his trousers, he weut to the fire bell. There was a dog lying on the footpath in front of it, aud fearing lest it might bite him, he then went higher up towards Trafalgar-street, aud saw some policemen comiug. He shouted out ' Fire,' as loud as he could, aud on their answering him, made for his home. When Constable Flett was knocking at the front of the Victoria, he must have been at the bick, as he did not hear him He rendered every assistance before theengines arrived, aud was at home when the bell was rung. Witness had seen no one loitering about the premises on the previous night. William Clarke, constable, entirely corroborated the evidence of Constable Flett. Henry Hargreaves, butcher, said that on Monday morniug he heard a cry of ' Fire,' and ran out, crossed the street, and saw two policemen running down. He at once asked them before they rang the bell, where the fire was, aud they said ihey thought it must be at the Victoria. Mr White, tho shoemaker, was the only other person in the street at the time. Witness then dressed himself and went down to the fire. After some consideration, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that no evidence had transpired as to the origin of the fire.

A jury, composed of the followiug persons — Messrs Graham (foreman), Smallbone, M'Gee, J. M'Artney, Por thou se, Phillips, Waters, Carte. Firth, Walcot, . Corrigan, Salter, and Hardy, sat at the Courthouse yesterday afternoon, at two o'clock, for the purpose of inquiring into the circumstances of the late fire on the Haven-road. Edward Lamb, a stonemason, living at the Victoria Hotel, being sworn, stated that on Monday morning, the 16th instant, about half-past one a.m., he saw a light through his window. On getting up to discover the cause, he saw that some place near was on fire, and rau into the back yard, where, he found that it was a building separated from the Victoria by a single house. He called the laudlord, who was in bed, and having dressed himself, went into the yard and looked on. Ou waking the landlord he at ouce went off for assist- . once, his wife detaining the witness, as her husband had gone away. He believed lhat the fire commenced on the side furthest from the Victoria, for when Mr Snow came clown with the small engine the fire liad not caught the opposite side. Witness saw no one about when he went out, and believed that tbe fire commenced at the upper part of the building. He had no idea as to its origin, William Flett, police constable, said that at 20 minutes to 2 on Monday morning, he was standing at the junction of Collingvpood and Bridge-streets with Constables Clark- aud Shore, when he saw a reflection ...of light on the hill near the Victoria Hotel. He immediately ran down Btidge-Btreet, and finding the light growing brighter, he blew hiß-whistle; Constable Clark passed him and first reached the fire-bell. The wifcoess then went off to the fire, which he found to be on the premises of Mr Jones,