INQUEST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 20, 24 January 1903, Page 3

INQUEST.

| Bef.re the Co'.oner, Mr. R, L. Stan--1 ford, S.M. I THE FATAL FIRE AT MOTUROA, ' The irquest regard'ng the death of George luce, the victim of tho tont fire at Mo'uioa, adjourned from las' Saturday, 17th January, was resumed on Fiid'jy t 23rd, befjra the Coroner and the following jury:—W. A. Oollisi (foreman), W. Ambury, H. N. Goldwater, E, F. Bri tain, C. Tunbridge, and J. C. Morey. j Mr Kerr, Grown Prosecutor, instructed by the polic, conducted the inquiry and Mr T. 0. Weston appeared to watch the proceedings on behalf of Walter Smith, who was in Cjurt in custody of the police, having been com--1 mitted for trial for causing t he fire. A copy of the depositions taken in the murder cag3 was then read over to each of the following, who signed their j evidence as correct, viz, 0. Turner,! Cap'ain Heed, D<\ McCleland, Oon- j stable Mcßae, and George Meyers. 1

Mr Kerr said this waß all the evidence.

Mr Cjllis (the foreman of the jury) asked if Mr Brandon, the private detectivp, whs to be called. Mr Kerr: No. Mr Collis Faid the jury bad intended to ask him what sort of a glare he bad seen. The Coroner s»id Mr Brandon wis not in Gourt, »s it was not thought necessary to call him. Mr Collis said it was immaterial. The Coroner said he would like to say a few words to the jury. Of cours9 they were all aware that one Walter Smith mentioned in the evidence j was ejmmifc'ed to the Supreme] Court to stand his triil on charges j of murder and arson. Tbe jury niigh". bring in their vardict in several diff rent ways, and they would eas'ly see that they might bring in their verdict so as to seriously p-ejudice a person in the position of tbe accused. Oa the other band they might so word their verdict so as to seriously prejudice the case for the Crown. He had given the matter his mosS careful and! serious consideration, and thought it wall to suggest a verdict which would not be open to these ohj actions. Of course he only put tin ma ter forward as a suggestion in tbe interests of justice, and the jury could adopt or reject his suggestion as they thought fit. lie would suggest that the verdict ba to the f jllowiog effect:— "That deceased died from exhaurton from injuries received when his tent was burned at Moturoa on D cembsr 12th, 1902." He hoped they would consider his suggestion. The foreman Slid they felt in some difficulty on acc >unt of what they had seen and heard and would have much preferrel to have held tbe inquest first. They would like to retire to consider their verdics.

Mr Wtston hoped the jury could see the necessity of not b. ingiug in a verdict which would be pr. judical to the accufed. The S.M. said he did not think he could put the matter plainer thau he had, and had noth'ng to add to what he had already said. The jury then retired at 10.35 a.m At 10.50 Mr Collis returned and said the jury wished to know if it was ! sufficient to simply say how the deceased met his death, without considering the question of what led to the injuries frjtn which he died. The Coroner said certainly that was [all the jury had to consider. They seed noi go into the surrounding circumstances.

At 10 55 tbe jury returned into Court with the following verdict " That the Qeorge Thomas Inc*, died from ehock and exhaustion atteuding the injuries he received through the burning of hi* tent at M. ituroa early on the morning of December 12" hj, 1902." The Coroner thanked the jury for their services, and they were discharged.