FATAL FIRE AT MANAKAU.

Otaki Mail, Volume 27, 10 November 1919, Page 2

FATAL FIRE AT MANAKAU.

1. •■ _—o f « HOTEL . COMPLETELY DE- . -. MOLISHED. ! ' WOMAN PERISHES IN THE ! FLAMES. A disastrous fire, unfortunately attended with loss of life, occurred at " about 4.30 yesterday morning-, when tho Manakau Hotel, built some thirty years ago by Mr C. Nees to the order of Mr W. Tompsitt, of Otaki, was burned to the ground.. Mr Gibbons, a boarder at the hotel, was first awakened by the sound of falling articles, and almost at the same time Mr Mick Burke noticed the glare of lire and he quickly acquainted a Native named Kangi Whitiri, who rushed to tho scene. By this time tho firo had a strong hold, ami Mr Gibbons was unable to get out through his door. He promptly climbed through a window in night attire, at the same time throwing a lew personal effects out, to tho balcony, made his way to the billiard room, scaled the roof, and jumped l(i to 18 feet to the ground. In the meantime the cry of "Fire!" was sounded from all quarters, and the few boarders in the hotel made tho most of a hurried departure, saving practically nothing. The alarm was then raised that Mrs Clare (commonly known as Mrs Morgan) was in the hotel, but she could not be located on account of the density of the flames. !Mr Whiter was much to tho fore, and it Was no fault of his that the poor woman's life was not saved. He worked heroically and faced danger manfully to locate hot, but failed. The flames quickly, spread. Mr Davics {lieenscc) and Mrs Davics made their lexit.Sn tho meantime, taking with them what personal effects were at hand. Attention was turned to Mr Bathgate's shop, separated from the building by a few feet, and thanks to Mr Andrew's Minimax, tho shop, although scorched, was saved. Tho wind, luckily, helped tho workers. Had it blown norfherly the post office and other buildings must. have been, destroyed. Tho sheds and stables wore saved despite the fact: that only a few feet separated them from the main building. Tho hotel, I which comprised sdrne 21 rooms, was razed to the ground in lei :> than two hours. Mr Davies was to have had a clcarI ing sale to-day, while Mr Whii ford, of J Wellington, was to take over the hotel, * having secured a lease from Mr A. C. I Marryatt (Napier), who is owner of tho I premises. Mr Davics had an insurance of £20(1 on the stock, £230 on the furniture, £2O on the piano, and £7O on the billiard tnblc, a total of £SOO (in the Norwich Company), while Mrs Davies had £IOO (in tho Guardian) on her personal effects. They estimate their loss above this at £4OO.

The hotel building was insured for £2OOO.

Constable Saiherlcy was soon on the scene, and lie it was who discovered the body of the missing woman, Mrs Clare, who had been badly burned, and was quite dead when discovered. The Levin police officer arrived later.

INQUEST. An inquest on the body oi" the woman, Mrs Clare, was held at Mr -\". A. Andcrj son's rooms this morning, Mr W. C. I Nation, coroner, presiding. SeniorScrgeant Eraser conducted the case on behalf of the police. . Frederick Morgan deposed: I am a labourer employed by Mr Tom Bevan, and reside on Beach road about a mile from Manakau. I knew deceased, Nellie Elizabeth Clare; she was married, but had not resided with her husband for 15 years;. She has lived with rac for the past ten years, and we were known about the district s as man and wife. She went under the name of Mrs Morgan., I went to the war in 1910 and returned last February. I came to Manakau to reside. Hn Clare was cooking at the hotel .when I came back. She then left the Manakau Hotel and went to Shannon, but at the end of May last she came back and lived with me again and continued doing so up till the time of her death. Since May last she has been employed on and off at the Manakau Hotel. She was supposed to come home each night from the hotel. On Friday last she worked at the hotel, returning home at about nine o'clock. I could notice that she had had a few drinks, but she was jaot drank- , Deceased was addicted to drink. On Saturday morning she left home to go: to the Manakau Hotel to work. That was the last time I Ktv her alive. She was pa return home on Saturday night, but failed to do so. I received a saes--sage on Sunday morning to say Mrs Morgan was missing. I then came into town. Deceased was in the habit of wearing a returned soldiers' badge 18558 (produced), and bad it in her blouse on Saturday morning. Deceased was about 42 years old, and her husband's name was James Clare. She iad not seen him for over ten years. I io not know- his address. She his two was, but had not neard izom them for many years- I heard Mrs Clare was'at :he pictures on Saturday night and was jcrfeetly sober. Her father (Hill) used to live in Blenheim, while deceased wa* join in England, corning to New Zeaand when about -four years old- She vas married in Blenheim. ABaa Satheriey stated: I am a police' 1 'instable, stationed at Otaki. 1 re-" ;eived a message at 4.45 on - Sunday corning to say tome-one was dead at he Manakap Hotel I procured a motor ar and arrived at Manakau at between ; -15 and 5.30. On arrival I found the oiel practically burned dow/i. The •HBard 20033,' at the south end,' was icrmng fiercely when I arrived- I was' aformed that'Mrs Clare v/&s jaissJng. e& . it ■ was supposed -"she had - been anted in the Sre- TPMIe looking round j noticed ike boac oi 3 leg protruding 1 rom under some sheets'of J tea.- With j ssji&nee I p-t the Sre out ia that parr- ! "" i *«n see the upper parte of 1 ■: • : r »sfcArjhead i ana j itfe legs and,:the trunk, .--j... low >ib&£B£e& burn- *

ed. The clothing was also burned off the body. Wo dragged the body on to the grass, when I-noticed a soldier's badge (produced) on the breast. There was clothing attached to it, and clothing on the back of her body. The body was lying on top of an iron She may havo been sleeping above the commercial room, as her body was found directly underneath. The body was totally unrecognisable. By the appearance of the body I should say she had never been undressed the previous uight. The clothing was far too thick for a night-dress. Shortly afterwards Constable Bagrie arrived. Charles Gibbons deposed: I am a carpenter employed by Sir Kofoed. of Alanukau. I came to Mauakau a week ago, and boarded at the Manakati Hotel, occupying No. 4 at the front of the house. On Saturday night I saw Mrs Clare knocking at the door of the hotel to gain admission. I saw her enter at the back door. She was just ahead of inc. When I entered'the hotel I went to the commercial room. Two other boarders were there, Fred Robinson and "Edward Williams (known as "Old Ned"). Thero were also several Maoris there. I had no drink, neither did I sec any drinking going on while I was there. I did not see the licensee. I saw the deceased while I was in the commercial room; she seemed perfectly sober. 1' did not see her later. At about 4 a.m. I was awakened by a noise, and then heard the roar of fire. I jumped out of bed and found the place in flames, and it was impossible for rue to get down the stairs. I grabbed a few clofhcs, threw them out of the window, and then got out myself. The lire as far as I know started upstairs, just to the left of No. 4 room, at the head of the staircase This is near No. S room, occupied by Mrs Clare. When I was on top of the billiard room roof I saw the licensee. I jumped to the ground. Bofore jumping I saw the licenser, (Davics) in the backyard. When" I got down I noticed Mrs Davie* at the back, at the bottom of the staircase near the. door. I was tho first of the boarderK to get out. I received no warning of the fire. When I got out there was no one about except. Mr and Mrs Davie*. Davics appeared fully dressed, whilo Mrs Davics was partially dressed. }?ho had no boots on. Davics gave an alarm when I told him the other boarders were inside. Ho ran up the, firo cscapo and broke a window in one of the bedrooms, Ono of tho boarders (Coyle), hn . to bo dragged out; he appeared hairsuffocated. When in the commercial room no one seemed tho worse of drink —ail appeared of a jovial nature. When I saw tho licensee yesterday at about 4 a.m. he appeared sober, likewise on Saturday afternoon. William Bowie stated: I arrived in Maiiakau on Friday last, and was employed by Mr Davics as a cook. On Saturday I went to bed at nine o'clock in a room away from the hotel, air* Clare woke mo up at about 11. HO tho same night, and told mc Mr Davics wanted two boiled eggs and a cup of tea. I got supper ready for him, and then went away, leaving Mrs Clare and Davie." in the kitchen: Davics told mo a = I left that lie was going to bed, and asked roe to get up at 0 a.m. next morning. It was about midnight when I left the kitchen. Davics and Mrs Clare were perfectly sober. At 4 o'clock I was awakened by the cry of "Fire!" I was quite sober—l never had a drink at tho hotel till after the fire. Inquest was adjourned till nest Tuesday, 18th inst., at 10 a.m.