THE LATE FIRE. CORONEE'S INQUEST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 58, 7 March 1872, Page 2

THE LATE FIRE. CORONEE'S INQUEST.

The following evidence was taken at the inquest held on the fire which occurred in Washington Valley on Thursday morning last : — George Thomas, cab proprietor : The house in which the fire occurred was my property, and was insured with the New Zealand Insurance Company for £120. There was no one HviDg ia it at the time. Mrs. May took possession of it on Wednesday, and moved some things into it. I was there last on Wednesday night about 8 o'clock. Mrs. May was also there with her children. There was no light in the house. I was the last to leave, and locked the door after me. I was not near the premises again after leaving with Mrs. May. I have no idea as to the origin of the fire. Emily May : lam the wife of John May, boiler maker. I took possession of the house on Wednesday, and was there about 7.30 p.m. Mr. Thomas was not in the house with me, but I met him outside, and he asked me to let him have the key to fetch something his wife had left in the pocket of her dress which was hanging up in the little room at the back. He was in the house only just long enough to fetch the dress out. I had moved a lot of little things in. I had no matches in the house. I had a candle lighted which I blew out and watched to see that it went properly out. Elizabeth Stephenson, a resident in the neighborhood, deponed to having been awakened up at one o'clock on Thursday morning by the glare. On looking out she saw the fire in the front room, when she gave the alarm. James Simpson, carter, stated that in company with his brother Robert, he passed the house at 12.30 on Thursday morning, when there were no signs of fire. They went to bed, but had not fallen asleep when the alarm was given. He ran across, and saw the fire in the front room, and burst the door open, but the flames burst out with a rush and drove him back. John Naßh, sergeant of police, said that he had seen. Mrs. May who told him the

back door was fastened. la company with three other men he went to the site of the fire, and found the catch (produced) in its then state, the bolt not being shot, and therefore unable to keep the door fastened. Mrs. May said she had fastened the door with the bolt. Anne Howe deponed to having been awakened by the alarm of fire at one a.m. on Thursday. She went out and saw the fire coming from Thomas' house. She ran to tell the Mays, whom she found in bed. She noticed a strong smell of kerosine, H. E. Curtis stated that the premises were insured through his house iv the N.Z. Insurance Company by the Foresters who held a mortgage on it for £120. The mortgage was for more tbau the insurance. Emily May, re-called : I fastened the door on Wednesday afternoon, and did not go through again. The bolt was like the one produced, but the catch was not in the same position. It was pushed forward so as to fasten the door. The windows were all fastened. I had used no kerosine, and left none in the house. George Thomas, re-called : I went into the house to fetch the key of the cupboard which was in the pocket of my wife's dress hanging up in the lean-to. Mrs. May was outside, and did not go into the house with me. I did not go out at the back door. The premises were mortgaged to the Foresters for £120, the amount for which it was insured. This closed the evidence, and the jury returned a verdict to the effect that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated.