CORONER’S INQUEST.

Te Aroha News, Volume XII, Issue 1767, 4 September 1895, Page 2

CORONER’S INQUEST.

HOW THE FIRE ORIGINATED. THE LOSS OF LIFE v Hawera, Saturday. • An inquest on the fire was held before Mr Nolan, acting coroner, and a juiy, to-day. John Allen Campbell, manager for Mr C. Smith, draper, said : I was engaged, on tho night of the fire, stocktaking with Mr Jew* 1 1 . This would be about half-past twelve o’clock. We were clearing the window, and. I was inside the window, handing out the contents to Mr Jewel* but at the time of the accident I was in the showroom, And Mr Jewel was at the counter in the shop., , I was workiiig in- a-recess When I heard a report as of a lampglass cracking, and ' rushing to the : window, I saw a hoard on which a lamp was placed gradually coming down. The lamp fell into the window when I was about twelve feet away. I could not see what the effect was, as I think the lamp was thrown out of the socket, by striking against the dividing board in the window. The window contained curtains, mercery, and articles that would readily burn. When I saw the blaze I tried to get a step-ladder to kncek against the ceiling to wake the Kelleys in the hotel rooms above the shop counter, and threw an overcoat on the flames. The shop was in flames in what Appeared four or five seconds, I think. 1 did all that was possible, and to do more I would have lost my life. ’ The window has only a small entrance, and only one person could: got in at a time. I tried to get.a watering can, but could not find it as the lamps in the shop wei*e all out. I then ran out, and Mr Jewell and I returned quickly to the shop to get two of my books, Mr J ewell following me closely. I looked, for more books, but saw no chance Of getting to my desk. I then went .to the'back door and found another'door had fallen' across the entrance* Mr Jewell must have .pulled the .Wrong door down. I crawled through' 'an opening and got out. I ran round to the side door of Kelly’s Hotel, and saw someone pushing another out of- the door. Mr Jewell ran in the street calling out ‘f Fire!” I had lamps burning in both windows. I had four lamps burning in the shop altogether. They all seemed to go out immediately the lamp upset. The window seemed; tu be alrln flames. I had also a lot of prints near the window. There should have been £3IOO worth of stock in the shop, and I have every reason to believe that the amount was to hand. Mr Jewell was not drunk on that night. He had a glass at“eight o’clock. I went to Gibson’s Hotel to ask Mr Jewell to come over. He was there, and said he would come over soon. I went to the post-office, and then went to Gibson’s to ask him to come again. He did so in a few minutes. He was not sober, and he was not drunk. I consider a man drunk when he cannot stand on his feet. If Mr Jewell had been sober I do not think he could have rendered any rqore assistance in putting the fire out as-fhe entrance of the window was so small. Mr Jewell took steps to alarm the inmates of the /hotel. ‘ Mr Jewell, though oloser tb the lamp than 1 was, would not, I think, understand the report as I did as he was not accustomed to lamps. Mr Jewell was able to stand and measure. Mr Jewell has not always been sober since he has been in the district.. i Christopher Smith, draper, Wei- '

deposed: The shop in which the fire occurred was rented by me from Mr Kelly. Mr' Campbell wamy local, manager. The stock waß insured for £SOO in the London, Liverppol and Globe, and £SOO in the Commercial Union. Both policies would be in. existence oyer twelve months. There would be about £3OOO worth of stock. Mr Campbell’s state s meat would be about correct. \ I am a loser to the extent of £2500. I have alwavs found Mr Campbell truthful, and have not the slightest reason to ‘kttbt his version of the accident. _> Mr Kelly, proprietor of the Egmont. Hotel, gave evidence as to Mr Caverhill and Mr Turner being , lodgers. at lus hotel on Thursday evening. Both knew the house well, and would have been able to escape, but he thought that there must have been unnecessary r delay in giving the aland, He had been awakened by . a. scream but . nothing was,said of the fire. -He put it down tp larrikins, as ,he : had' prejviously been - disturbed* in a similar way.. There were no lamps alfgatin the passage of the hotel.' There was a drop of two feet from'the wmddw^of the room in which Mr tlayCrfliU slept on to the lantern „pf the rpof ■. of-vtlie - billiard-room, and from the position. • in which Mr .Gayerhill was found, he \ must have jumpied through, and fallen: into the biuiard-room, and have been killed there. . Mr Kelly said .he wasA loser to the amount of £3OOO. f Joseph Dixon, barman of the Egmont Hotel, said Mr Caverhill and Mr Turner went to bed about half-past ten. He' slept.next to Mr Turner. D'n being aroused'by the fire he opened the door of the fire escape. There was much smoke.? iHe came back; and tp the door of Mr Cayerhili’s and Mr Turner’s rooms, andfoundthemlocked. He kicked and called out “Fire !”. but got no reply, and he went away. He did not tell,anyone there were two men upstairs, because he did not know they had not slipped out of the window.

J• Wilkinson, billiard marker,' said - he always locked the billiard-room and ;if anyone fell into the billiardroom he could not have escaped. • Dr Buckley gave evidence as to the bones discovered being human. Sergeant Stagpool said he was at: the fire before it.had- left Smith’s, aud founl Mr Jewell calling'out fire. .He then wont, into the hotel and found smoke almost suffocating. After detailing further action, he gaveeyidence as to finding one body on'the site of the billiardrroom, and .another: just under the room Mr Turner hacL occq- 4... pied. Alongside was- Turney’s 'Watch* ; With a good water : fire could.have been kept in Smith’s, 1 ' ' The jury found, that the deaths Weip^ :: caused by an apeideiitai ahd ' a rider detailing^''more stringent precautions tb be adopUid in the hotel for the.pi'otection of life, and property in the way of lights, alarm-bells, escape - , ladder;, and-the einpjqyeafefc' of- night •, porters'. - supply ' would have "prevented -much damage, and that party walls should be of brick ' and the firo brigade better equipped.