THE LATE FIRE.

Colonist, Issue 89, 27 August 1858, Page 3

THE LATE FIRE.

On Thursday, July 8, at 2 o'clock, an inquest ■was held at the Exchange Hotel, before Dr. Philson, Coroner, and the following Jury :—John Watson Bain, James O'Neill, Patrick Dignan, David Graham, Josiah Clifton Firth, Charles Davis, John M'Dowell, Henry Colin P>alneavis, William Rattray, Thomas Henderson, Walter Brodie, Matthew Henry Roe, Archibald Clark, (foreman) —to inquire into the origin of the. late fire. John Ogilvie, Henry Sims (serjeant of police), Edward Barnett, John Fiulay, Hannah Gourley, Benj. Ward, Malcolm Mclntosh Taylor, Charles Moore, Stephen Leathern, James Forster, John Graham, and Alexander Culbert, were called as witnesses ; and the result of the evidence was the following verdict of the jury, which was brought in after upwards of an hour's deliberation :—

"After the evidence which has been taken, the jury is satisfied that the fire originated ou Mr. King's premises, known as the Osprey Inn, situated in High-street, Auckland ; and there being cause for suspecting that.-it was not accidental, the jury is of opinion that a farther investigation into the circumstances attending the fire should take

place,

"Ancn. Clark, Foreman."

Mrs. King, and John Henry King, jun., were then given in charge of the police, and on Saturday morning were taken before the Resident Magistrate, and remanded till Tuesday to allow time for the production of further evidence. The Foreman also stated that the jury had considered it their duty to pass the following resolution :—

" That this jury feel that they are called upon to express their conviction that the time has arrived when Legislative measures ought to be taken for preventing the occurrence as well as for arresting the progress of fires. Such measures should be made immediately applicable to those portions of the city in which the population is most dense, and in which the most valuable property is usually deposited, and that the Coroner be requested to forward this resolution to the proper authorities. "Arch. Clark, Foreman."