FIRE AT MACKAYTOWN.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 170, 18 September 1886, Page 3

FIRE AT MACKAYTOWN.

On Wednesday last an inquest, presided orer by H. A. Stratford, Esq., R.M., on the above fire was held in the Public Hall, Paeroa, and a jury of which Mr Snodgrass was foreman, was empannelled on the case. Constable Mitchell conducted the examination of witnesses. Mr C. Nash deposed that the building, which was occupied as a school room and teacher's residence, was his property, and that it was insured in the New Zealand Company's office for £50. The original cost of erecting the building, which was nine years old, was £200 and £70 was its cash value at the time of the fire At the time the fire occurred he was in the kitcken of his own I hotel 25 chains distant, and knew nothing whatever as to its origin. The Board of Education paid £13 per annum for the use of the building, which they held under lease for the last six years. J. K. Whitaker, teacher of the Mackaytown School, deposed as to the position of the rooms in the building. The woodwork on one side of the iron chinmey which formed the fireplace caught fire at noon of the day in question. He put the fire out by throwing water upon it, and when he dismissed the school at 3.30 p.m. everything appeared to quite safe. He left the school at 10 to 4 p.m., and was out endeavouring to catch a horse till 6 p.m., when he went to Nash's Hotel for tea. He was there about twenty minutes, when Nash, who was in the back yard, raised a cry of fire. Upon going to the door he saw it was the school house, and at once proceeded in that direction. • Upon reaching the building an effort made to get into his bedroom which was then not enveloped in flames, but they only succeeded in saving two blankets and an overcoat. He estimated his los 3 at £15, and excepting a few dumb bells, the whole of the school property, which was not insured, was destroyed. He could not account for the fire, bat believed that it was purely accidental. James Noble gave evidence as to the sweeping out of the school room after tne teacher left to catch his horse. He swept the dust, &c, into the yardi There were a few hot embers pn thd hearth, but everything seemed safe when he locked the door and left for home about 4 p.m. John McWillianis testified to breaking into Mr WbitakerV bedroom and saving a few articles of clothing before tbe flames had quite enveloped that part of the building ; but otherwise he knew nothing about the fire. This being all the evidence, the Jury, after a short deliberation, returned a

verdict to the effect that there was no evidence ta show how the fire originated, but they were of opinion that it occurred by accident and not otherwise.