FATALITY AT MASTERTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 27

FATALITY AT MAS TERT ON.

A house was burned down late on the 19th" at Mauriceville, and a man named Walter Mortison was burned to death.

MASTERTON, February 20.

Details of the fire at Mauriceville, in which Mr W. S. Mortensen lost his life, show that the deceased, hie wife, and another man visited the Masterton show yesterday, where the deceased got very, drunk, and had to be taken home by * man. On arrival at home his wife, who was afraid of the deceased when he wai in drink, went to bed with her five children, leaving the deceased up. He said " Goodbye all; I'll make it warm for you tomorrow." The wife took no notice of this remark, as the deceased often threatened to burn the house down. She went to sleep, but later on she heard the crackling of the burning timber, and had only just time- to get the children out of the house, the building being consumed within half an hour. The deceased's body was found near the window, burned almost to a cinder, the legs being burned completely off. I* is surmised that the fire was caused, through deceased letting a kerosene lamtf fall. An inquest will be held to-morrow.

Westland and Buller top the list lot publicans' licenses, the number issued being 76 for each; Grey follows with 64, Auckland 58, Christchurch 46, Wellington 48, Dunedin 39, Wakatipu 45, Bay of Plenty 33. Pahiatua has 17, Wairarana 12. and Maetertoa 16.