PATHETIC FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 16 May 1907, Page 4

PATHETIC FATALITY.

A terrible tragedy was enacted at Greenahorough (Victoria) on March 48, when James Hawkins, a resident of tin village, who, with his wife and mother, Mrs Sarah Gardiner, aged 85, lived in a small three-roomed cottage, was burned to death in distressing circumstances. Tiie awful affair ocurred about 4 a.m., and the deeply pathetic feature is that Mr Hawkins lost of life in an heroic but mistaken endeavour to save that of his aged mother-in-law. Deceased, who was a steady, careful, man well-respect-ed man, had a habit of arising about 4 o'clock, when he went into the sittingroom to have a smoke. \\ hile lie was thus occupied he became aware that the house was on fire. Finding lie could nut overcome the rapidly-spreading flames be roused his wife and got l.*-'r outside in safety. She at once became concern-Hi for the safety of her mother, who slept in the third rom, and begged her husband to save her. Mrs Gardiner had, however, got safely away, but this was unknown to cither Mr or Mrs Hawkins, and without a moment's hesitation the courageous man plunged into the room, which was even then a mass of (lame. He immediately returned, saying. ''Mother is.not in her room." Mrs Hawkins, thinking that her mother wis in some other part of the burning house, endeavoured to rush in again herself, but was prevented by her husband, who pushed her out in front of him. As be did so, portion of the blazing room fell upon him and pinned him down. The poor fellow had no hope of escaping, and though his wife used the most desperate efforts of which she was capable to release him, she was unable to effect his rescue: She then rushed oil for help, by the time Mr Roy, a neighbour, arrived the cottage was a heap of glowing ruins, deep in the heart of which was the body of the courageous but ill-fated Hawkins. "When the lire was raked -i----way 'little remained of the body but cinders.

At the enquiry held at Gk'miSborough by Mr .1. S. White, .1.1'., a finding of "Accidental death by burning" was recorded. No evidence was adduced to show how the tired occurred.