The Bell Block Fire.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7823, 16 May 1905, Page 3

The Bell Block Fire.

VERDICT OF INCIiMUAKISM. The circumstances surroumling the Ure at Bell Block oil May 2:. when premises owned by Mr Oliver lioijy were demolished, formed the subject of an inquiry on Monday uiter-noon at the Bell Block public hall, ilr T, ilutchisbn, S.M., presided as Coroner, and the following! jurymen wero sworn in Messrs F. Salway (lore-

man), J. S, Connett, J. 11. Street, ;I. S. Pratt, Archibald Laird, and J. Uogcrs. Mi - F. E. WKson appeared on benalf of the National Insurance Company, and Sergeant Ikidurell conli?qted the inquiry. Henry Rote, storekeeper, deposed hat at 12.50 a.m. on May 2 he was

awakened by the loud barking of his ■v.s dogs. He got up to investigate, md saw a faint glimmer in Hoby's inoccupied dwolling, which was only >bout 30 feet away front his own remises. He ran over with a bucket -f water, opened the front 'door, and •n entering found that the walv of n inside room was alight about our feet from tile floor. H e ran back 'o his h o«sc to get the key of an inside door leading through to the back, where there was a tank. He returned with another bucket of water and a small hose pump. Mr J. Copeland and -Mi' J. I'owli s also came ailong. but owing to the insullicient supply oi water available the Jire mastered them and the building was completely destroyed. There was no wind at.the time, otherwise witness' own premises would probably also have been demolished. So far as he had observed, the lower portion of he wall was solidly boarded, but the ■ipper portion tvas only scrimnied and papered and partially boarded. Witaess considered that some person had •'riven a fist through the scrimmed paper wall apd set it on fire. He was perfectly satisfied, from their excited iehaviour that when he awoke his "logs were after somebody, as there was not sufficient fire for the dogs •o observe it when they gave the alarm. In witness' opinion "the vaiue if the building which was a very •>ld one. was about £l5O. The house itad been unoccupied since Feb. 6, *<th the exception that it had been ■et for a lew days at Easter time When witness let these people in at Easter he gained admittance .through ".he window and opened the back door with key? that had been left vith him. The front door had no <ey to it, and witness had to prise •lie lock back. Since that time the door had been shut but not locked, witness hail not seen any swaggers oi children in the place, and he cleaned the place out after the party left al Easter,

Evidence corroborating m, c uiain details related by Mr Tote was <ivcn by John Copeland, his assisti ' John Bonnes, storekeeper. Wilfred Lawson, blacksmith, save evidence that he and some other bachelors had occupied the house for a time, vacating it on Feb. G. When witness was leaving Mr Hoby had £3OO to sell him the property for

In answer to a question from Mr Hoby, witness said he was unable to v „ the " all was constructed. Oliver E. Hoby, owner of the prodeposed that he bought tho o!d_ place about three years ago for £l/0. He added to it, expending £2OO. He valued the place at £370 at the time of the lire. When witness bought the place it was insured with the National Insurance Company <.<>r £3OO. In replv to .Mr Wilson witness said the bu'ikVng w;rs in good order, and he considered its value was tl;e total amount he had originally expended on it, £370. He and all his family were at home on the night of the fire, and the first they received of the outbreakl was a telephonic message from Mr Pote. Witness further stated that he had left the key in the front door previously. There been practically i\o depreciation on the building since it was re-habilita-ted.

F. K. Wilson, solicitor, appearing on behalf of the National Insurance Company, slated that the old building had been insured for many years with that company. Witness received notice from Mr Hoby that the premises were unoccupied, ami as ha endorsed the policy accordingly, it was payable, the poL'cy being for £2oO. The endorsement would have expired in two or three days' time. The jury returned a verdict that the premises had been fired by some person of persons unknown.