THE EAST ROAD FIRE.

Southland Times, Issue 1348, 16 December 1870, Page 2

THE EAST ROAD FIRE.

Within the last few weeks one or two fires have occurred in the vicinity of Invercargill, their origin •■ being unaccountable on the assumption of accident. Occurring as they did in unoccupied tenements,, removed considerable distances from other habitations, the circumstances have pointed strongly to incendiarism.. > In the case of the cottage at \Wx>odend, Cljfton, reported in our last issue, there is reason to believe that the guilty party has been secured. The fire in that case occurred on the 6th inst. The folio wing evening a similar conflagration took place at the east end of the town, the surrounding circumstances being such as to induce. the coroner's jury to record a verdict of wilful fire* raising against some person or persona unknown. The inquest took:: place on Tuesday last, and the following is a summary of the evidence adduced. Geo. Q-ooJwillie, saddler, deposed that the property belonged to. a relation of his, at present employed at the Hokanuis. He (witness) was in the habit of visiting the place from time to time to: ascertain if all was secure. The last time he did so he left the house all right. On .the evening "of the fire he heard the alarm, and on arriving at the place he found the house ?.OMTnletely J^f ( ffiffi i ygd» v t ffiffiff** 1 , Asher, I oh the evening of the fire he passed the house whilst searching for cattle. That was about 6 p.m. At that time it appeared all right, and there: was no appearance whatever of fire. He saw no one in the vicinity of the h6u6e: Robert Murdoch, also residing- at GFrOve,— gave evidence. He stated that about 20 minutes before ton p.m., he heard a report of fire. On proceeding to the spot he found the house in flimes, spreading apparently from the interior of the braiding. Tiie only persons present were his younger brother and one op two other boys. He was closely inter* rogated with the view of ascertaining if children were in the practice, of* amusing themselves in the vicinity of the # house, but no direct evidence on the point was elicited. Under the direction of the coroner (Dr Deck), a verdict as above was returned. It 'further transpired from the .evidence that the /property was uninsured. ■■■ ;\;j .-■■- . : -