FIRE IN WELLESLEY-STREET. Two Houses Destroyed and Others Damaged. Incendiarism Again Suspected.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 43, 29 March 1884, Page 3

FIRE IN WELLESLEY- STREET. Two Houses Destroyed and Others Damaged. Incendiarism Again Suspected.

(From the " Auckland Star," March 24.) Anotiikr destructive fire occurred bhortly before daybreak yesterday morning. The scene of operations on this occasion was that portion of Wellesley-street between Nelson-street and Freeman's Bay, and the houses destroyed were those in theoccupation of Mrs O'Connell, Limerick lace worker, and Mr Pearson Wilson, while Mrs Halstead's and Mr Duppuy's residences were seriously damaged. Incendiarism is again assigned as the most pi'obable theory to account for the outbreak, and the suspicion of foul play is strengthened by circumstances which have come to light since the occurrence. The fire broke out in the premises of Mrs O'Connell, which appear to have been unoccupied at the time. The alarm was given by Miss Charlotte Halstead, who resides with her mother, in the adjoining house. She was roused from her sleep in an upstairs room by a crackling noise, and proceed ing to a window, observed flames shooting upwards from the kitchen of Mrs O'Connell's house. Neighbours began to assemble immediately after the alarm was given, and one of the first on the scene was Mr George Leahy, who resides opposite. Mrs Halstead has been suffering frog rheumatic fever for some six weeks past, and her removal was attended with difficulty and some danger to herself. She was fortunately carried out before the flames had extended sufficiently far to prevent egress, and was taken across to Mr Leahy's liouse in safety. The Fire Brigade arrived on the scene very soon after the alarm had been given, but some delay was caused in consequence of the nearest fire plug having been janimed or shifted by a heavy weight passing over it. It was found necessary to tear up a portion of the roadway before the connection could be made. By this time Mrs O'Connell's and Mr Wilson's houses were completely in the possession of the flames, and there was not the slightest prospect of saving them. The Brigade therefore devoted its attention to the adjoining premises, and steady streams of water were soon playing upon these from various points. The struggle was short and decisive. Scarcely half-an-hour had elapsed before the fire was extinguished. The two centra houses were completely destroyed, while Halstead's and Duppuy's suffered to the extent that the walls nearest to the fire were burnt through and the roofs badly damaged. The Brigade, Salvage Corps, and Naval Artillery all worked well during the progress of the fire, while tho polico mustered in force under Sergeants Kiely, Clarke, and McMahon. Detectives Walker, Twohey, and Hughes were also present.

Mrs O'Connell's Statement. From a statement madeby Mrs O'GonneU, it would appear that she is. a married woman living apart from her husband, who is employed at Mr Dampier's shop in ftpfcsQivstre.H, She says th«* s&Q

the house at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday last in company with her son Michael, aged 18 years, who is in the employ of Mr Bottrill, painter, Hepburn-strett, and also her nephew, William Johnston, aged 10 years. They proceeded on a visit to Mr Barthy, hotel-keeper at the Thames, leaving Auckland at 7 p.m. on the 18th. They re. turned by the Kotomahana at 8 p.m. last Saturday evening. On arrival at her house she found that she had lost the key of the back door, which she had taken with her. Consequently, as she could not get into her own house without the key, she and the two boys slept at Mr Wilson's, next door. The iront door of her house was fastened by a spring lock, and the key left in the lock on the inside. The kitchen door was secured by a common lock, the key of which she believes she lost, or left on the Rotomahana- She saved nothing from her houee, but took with her to the Thames two valuable silk dresees, and what little jewellery she had, besides some underclothing There was a pane of glass 18 x 36 inches broken in the ooys' bedroom window on the cost side of the house, and she had a piece of pasteboard nailed over it. She could give no explanation of the origin of the fire. Mrs O'Connell further stated that the house and ground are freehold, with the exception of a small lien, which is nearly paid off to Mr Williamson, house agent. The house, furniture, and stock is insured in her name and favour for iSOO — viz , t230 on the house in the South British, £75 on her stock of lace, and £495 on the house and furniture, in which office she does not know. She adds that she had about £50 worth of lace ready for sale, and that her loss over and above the insurance is £100.

The Insurances. There appears to be some considerable complication in connection with the insurances, and some difficulty was experienced by our representative in unravelling the mysterious skein of facts and figures. The largest insuiance is on Mrs O'Connell's house and furniture, which is covered to the substantial extent of £800. This is made up as follows: — South British, 230 on the house, which, with the land, is subject to a mortgage of i 370 to Mr Chas. Williamson. Union : X 250 on the house, £150 on the furniture and £75 on the lace ; also, 1 95 not accounted for. Total, £800. Pearson 'Wilson's: United Office, £4CO on the house, and £G0 in the London and Lancashire office. Only a small pox-tion of thefurniturewassaved. Dupping s house was owned by Mr Trafford, and was insured for £235 in the New Zealand, while there was a policy in the London and Lancashire for £200 on the furniture, which has been somewhat damaged by removal. Mrs Halstead's house was insured for £400 in the London and Lancashire, but there was no policy on her furniture. Mrs Qtevenson, her daughter, who lives with her, had a policy of £200 on her furniture in the N6rwich Union. The circumstances of the fire are of a most suspicious character, and an enquiry will be held.