INQUEST.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 71, 20 February 1884, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest on the fire which took place at Makaraka on the 4th instant was held at the Roseland Hotel yesterday afternoon befoie J. Booth, Esq. The following gentlemen were called and sworn in as jurymen:— W. Hitchens, W. Sargent, D. Dinan, E. Devery, S. Egan, A. (Bey, J. Siddons, D. Murchie, W. Knight, J. Wall, R. Austin, J. S. Cohen. Mr. Murchie was elected foreman. Mr. H. J. Finn watched thp case on behalf of Mr. D. Malone, and Mr. Ratclifie attended on behalf of the Insurance Company. D. Malone sworn—Was the proprietor of a house and shop at Makaraka on the 4th of the present month. Was at home on the evening of that day until eight o’clock, and left for Gisborne. Returned about twelve o’clock at night. Left S. M. Wilson’s stables about twenty-five minutes to twelve o’clock. Was not sure about the time he arrived at home. Took the saddle and bridle off his horse, and went in by the front door. Saw no light. On entering the house there was a kitchen on the left-hand side and a sittingroom on the right. Could not say whether the door leading to the rooms were open or not, There was a window in the kitchen looking out to the front. Entered bv the front door, Had to pass the window, but could see no glare of fire through it. Went to bed without a light. It was daylight when he was awoke by Mr. Malone, who said the house was on fire. The light of the fire was then shining into the bedroom from the sittingroom on the left-hand side of the fireplace. Saw the fireplace all on fire up to the roof. Ran back and told his wife to get the childien out. They were sleeping in in the same room with himself and wife. Went outside and rushed round* to the kitchen by the outside door, which he shoved in. There was another door leading out of the kitchen on the right-hand side into a room which was unoccupied. He got into the room and saw the fire on the right-hand side in the corner. Could hardly tell what he did, but remembered throwing out some clothes and a sewing-machine. No one helped him. D.d not see anyone there. When he came out through the window he saw some people there. Could not remember who they were. Was sober when he went to bed. If two witnesses eaid that it was 1-15 when he ciossed from the Kaiti towards Gisborne it would be false. Gave William Humphries a drink after coming over. Could not remem* ber who was with Humphries. Jack Fitsim* mons was with him (witness). Gave Humphries a drink at the town pump out of his flask. Had been up the river in a boat. Did not land on the Kaiti side. No one landed on the Kaiti side and they had no communication with the other side. The buildings contained eight rooms all together. The shop was insured in the Imperial for £lOO, the dwelling-house, £lOO ; stock-in-trade, for £225 ; furniture, for £5O. There was more than £225 of stock. There were a few things saved valued at £l5. The remainder of the stock was entirely destroyed, and consisted of second-hand saddles. (Inventory of goods here put in.) Would not swear as to all the items being correct. There were five rooms in the dwelling-house. The kitchen was detached from the other part by a covered passage. Besides the rooms he had mentioned there was a store-room. The kit* chen was partly lined. There was some furniture saved, consisting of some sheeting, washstand, bedstead, and cheffonier. That was all he could remember. Had not taken an inventory of the property saved. Made out the inventory put in eight or ten days ago. Had made it out at the suggestion of Mr. Ratcliffe. Still adhered to his statement that he left town before 12 oclock.

By Mr. Jfinn—£22s covers stock and implements of trade. Made the inventory of goods de-troyed at the request of Mr. Ratcliffe. There were three rooms in one building, and five in the other. The reason why he ran round the house was because the fire prevented him going any other way. Was very excited at the time. He tried to pitch the machine out, but found it too hot, and had to leave. There was a double chimney between the two rooms. There was a colonial oven. By Mr. Ratcliffe—Had handed a similar inventory to the one produced to the insurance agent, in which he swore that the particulars, amounting to £515, were correct, Both were made from memory. Both are alike, with the exception of a slight difference* The value of his stock was stated at the selling value. By Mr. Cohen—Could not say what percentage of profit be made on the goods. Put his own price on them. By Mr. Murchie — Could not say who assisted him to save the things. Some of the stuff might have been taken away since the fire. By Mr. Grey—Could not tell what amount of new stuff there was in the shop at the time of the fire* By Sergeant Bullen—There was no stock removed before the fire ; neither furniture or anything else.

Mrs. Maria Malone was the wife of P. Malone, of Makaraka, and remembered the 4th of this month, Mr. Malone had been absent during the evening, but returned before 12 o’clock. Did not look at the time. Did not strike a light. Did not know whether her husband was sober or not. Slept in the room on the right of the sitting-room with her husband and her children. There was no one else in the house that night. Was awoke by the fire just as it was getting daylight. Awoke her husband. Did not see the glare in her bedroom, but heard a noise, and saw the fire when she got out of the bedroom door. The fire was in the kitchen. It hud not broken into the sitting-room. She could not get into the kitchen ; the fire was too strong. Took the children outside. Did not save anything but the children. By Mr. Finn—The children always slept with her in that .room. John McFarlane knew the premises of Mr. Malone, and remembered the 4th instant. Saw the premises on fire that morning at about 3.15. Had just come out of his own house. The first person he saw was Mr. Malone himself, who was throwing things out of the back bedroom window. His two men were there. Went inside. The shingles of the work-shop were just catching. Messrs, Stevenson, Adams, Roberts, and Cook were there. They got all they could out of the shop. Did not get all the things out. There were some saddles and harness left. The saddles were old. There were some new things also. Mr. Malone was assisting. He was quite sober. By Mr. Finn—Could not say whether there was a loft over the shop. Saw some bits and bridles, which were left. Could not stop long, on account of the smoke. Saw Mr. Malone throwing things out of the window, and doing his best to save all he could. He appeared very excited. By Mr. Ratcliffe—The fire had a hold of the shop before he started trying to save anything. The shop was well stocked. Threw out everything they could get a hold of. Robert Goldsmith remembered the morning of the 4th instant, and saw the fire. The fire was at the end of the kitchen—that was, between the shop and the other part—by the front door. Saved some of the furniture, consisting of boxes, in the bedroom on the right-hand side as he entered the front door; also a couch and two or three chairs and two ciieiiioniers, bedding, and a few pictures. The shop was not on fire when he first got there. There was not much furniture left in the bedroom. Was there about ten minutes, as near as lie could say. To Mr. Booth—When he entered the bedroom the children were there. Thought the time was between three and four o’clock. To Mr. Finn—Malone might have been in the back bedroom. Thomas Roberts remembered the morning of the fire. Went there and saw Mr. Stevenson and others, also Mr. Malone and Mrs. Malone with some clothiug. When he got there the kitchen and adjoining room was on fire and the shop just catching.

Thomas Scomfield, saddler, was in Malone's service. Remembered the 4th of this month, and slept in a room off the shop. Was called by Mis. Malone, who cried out the house was on lire. Got up immediately, and saw the fire coming out of the kitchen roof. Saw nobody when he went out the first time. Returned to the shop to get out the tools, wiiich had not then caught fire. Got a few ools out. Got a little of the stock out. ■ lad been with Mr. Malone for nearly two years. There were any amount of old saddles burned—most of them Mr. Malone’s; some done up and ready for sale. There were no new saddles. There were some new

bridles—good ones. Mr. Malone was doing a good business. Assisted to get the stock out of the shop. There were a good few sets of harness, including a double set. There were bridles and harness on the wall. He dare say there was £SOO worth cf stock in the shop before the fire. Did not think there was more than £lO worth of saddlery drc., saved. John McFarlane helped him to take the things out of the shop. Did not remember stating four or five weeks ago that he was afraid to go to bed there. No goods were removed from the premises before the fire, except what were sold. Corbett Cooke, storkeeper, in the service of Mr. Murchie. Knew Mr. Malone. Remembered the fire. There was about half-a-dozen people there. The back of the shop was then on fire. Assisted to clear out the goods of the shop. There were no tools about the shop. There was no stock left behind in the first shop, so far as he could see. Samuel Stevenson, hotelkeeper, residing at Makaraka, said he remembered the fire at Malone’s. The shop was not on fire when he got there. Assisted in getting a portion of the goods out of the shop, and then left to look after las own place. There was a large quantity ox goods in the shop when he left were. He did not see a set of double harness saved. Did not remember being in the shop for about three weeks before the fire. When he got there he saw Mr. Malone putting goods out through the window of the back kitchen. The room was then on fire. After a short time the following verdict was returned :—“ The Jury have carefully considered the whole of the evidence in the case of the late fire, and have decided that there is no evidence to show how the fire originated.” The following rider was attached to the verdict: —“ The Jury think that the value of the stock has been much over-rated, and think that it would be advisable if insurance agents would look more fully into the value of stock before issuing policies.”