OFFICIAL INQUIRY INTO THE CAUSE OF THE BURNING OF THE CHORAL HALL.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 59, 14 December 1871, Page 3

OFFICIAL INQUIRY INTO THE CAUSE OF THE BURNING OF THE CHORAL HALL.

(from the “d. s. cross.”) An inquest was held yesterday afternoon, in the presence of Dr. Philson and the following jury, to take evidence and return a verdict.as to the cause and origin of the fire which destroyed tho Choral Hall on the morning of Sunday last:— William Payne (foreman), David Fort, George Charles Colgan, Young Warren, Walter Sloanc, Thomas Waiford, William Norrie, Thomas Watson, George W.Hard'wick, John Harvey, Thomas Fish, Isaac Bateman, and Arthur Watkins. Mr Inspector Broham was in attendance, to conduct the inquiry on behalf of the police, and Mr G. P. Pierce was present, in the interests of the • New Zealand Insurance Company.—Mr Inspector Broham, before the inquiry was opened, addressed the Coroner and the jury to the following effect: He said that the crime of incendiarism was a most difficult one to sheet home to the guilty party, if only one was concerned, and there was no other to divulge the secret or split upon the chief instigator. Besides this, it generally happened that the material which was employed to set a building on fire was consumed by the fire it caused; but, in this case, a large portion of the material which had been used to cause the conflagration had fortunately been preserved; therefore tlieie could be no doubt whatever that the act was that of an incendiary. —Robert Samuel Lincoln, called and sworn, said: I am a letter-carrier, living in Symoods- street, opposite the Music Hall. I was awakened on Sunday morning about half-past one o’clock. I heard the cry of fire, when I immediately ran on to the verandah, ancl saw that the corridor of the Hall was on lire. I ran on to the verandah, and saw that the front of the Music Hall was in flames. I could see a bundle of rags at the south-erst corner of the corridor. I then took over a basin of water and threw it on the fire. I believe I was the first person there. The fire was then burning as high as the corridor. I knocked up the person in charge of the Hall, and took two buckets of water which were standing all ready under the shed. . I gave this water to another person coining up at the time, who threw it over the fire. I next went to the Hall, and I and Mr Impey got out the harmonium. The smoke was so thick that I could hardly see my way to the harmonium. The rags and rubbish saturated with kerosene was lying on the porch.—Peter Edward Cheul . I lesidc with the last witness. I remember last Sunday morning. I was aroused by a noise over my head. I Beard Mi s Lincoln saying “ Don’t go —don’t go.” I met some children, who said, “Mr Clieal, there is a fire in the Hall.” I thought they meant the hall of the house I was living in. When I got on the verandah I saw it was the hall of the Music Hall. I took a bucket of water out of the hands of a son of Mr Lincoln, quid carried it across the road and threw it on to the fire. It Avas a mass of flames blazing on the southeast corner of the front of tho building. I suav a something Avliich appeared to be a mass of saturated rags. It Avas upon these I dashed the water. The water extinguished the rags. The flames Avere running up to the roof of the porch, as if something inflammable had been dashed against the front of the building. There were two pieces of iron on Avliich the rags Avere raised. The irons I see now Avere like what I saAV on Sunday morning last. Mr James Russell, Mr Grey, and Mr Meyers came up, Avhen I dreAV their attention to the rags. Mr Russell took them up, and placed them in a bucket. I saAV no person Avhen I got to the building. The last Avitness Avas at the rear of the building. Mr Meyers Avas tlic next person avlio came up. We tried to extinguish the flames by throwing the Avaler up. I believe a hydrant -would have extinguished the flames at that time. We Avanted something to throAV the water up to reach the flames. I came to my house at 12 o’clock. I saw no person about. I think there were more rags than I saw there. The weight of them had sunk them down. Tiie rags Averc-packed about 2ft. high on the iron hoop they rested on. I do not think there Avas any fire inside at this time. Tncre Avas no hole ; but as the flames rose they broke the Avindow, and entered in the refreshment room.—Mr James Russell: I reside in Symonds-street, Auckland, about 80 yards this side of the Music Hall, on the opposite side of the road, I recollect being aroused from my sleep between half-past 12 o’clock and 1 o’clock on Sunday morning, On coming on the v randah I observed the Music Hall on fire at the south-east end. Tho fire was on the left-hand porch as one enters the hall at the front. It avas the extreme left-hand coiner. The corner up to the ceiling of the co. idor either Avas or had been on fire, It appeared as if the fire liad been going out, that is, as if inflammable matter had been thrown on the facade, Avliich alternately fired up and wont out. I saAV Mr Clieal and Mr Lincoln. The former drew my attention to a bundle of rags lying on the left-hand corner, The bundle Avas lying on the floor. I do not think it Avas oil fire. There had evidently been some water throAvn on them. I took the rags up and put them into a bucket I bad in my band. Immediately after I smelt the rags. There was a very strong smell of kerosene. In the bundle I observed a quantity of broken glass, Avliich appeared to me as if it had formed part of a broken gin bottle. I saAV a portion of tA\*o broken bottles. Afterwards banded the rags and Ducket over to the detectu-c. The irons produced were in the middle of the rags. I have no doubt they are the same I handed to the detective. I have no doubt the fire originated in the left-hand corner of the building. I went into the refreshment room, and there Avas no appearance of fire on the floor there. The refreshment room door had been broken open, I believe bv Mr Clieal. —James Impey : I Avas in charge of the Choral Hall, and resided on the premises at the time of the fire. T retired to bed on Saturday night last at half-past 10 with my wife and child. The rooms I lived in Avere at the rear of the building. I remember being aroused at about 10 minutes to 2 o'clock by Mr Lincoln coming to my door j and crying out “ Fire.” I got up and | unlocked the door and Avent out, Avhen I saAV flames: I roused my wife up. I assisted to take out two harmoniums, also some music. Alter that I returned to the back or the building, and entered the committee room and proceeded to take out avl at was in it. Nearly everything Avas removed, excepting two kettle-drums and some books. The room had not been lit un on Saturday, nor bad it been used. I had had charge' of the hall for a fortnight. I have seen people sitting on the steps, but I have not been in the habit of going out of a night. When I observed the fire the Avliole front of the building Avas in flames, more so on the S.E. side. Mv custom during the nights was to keep several buckets filled with water in the shed at the re?.: of the buA.'jg. There

is a very good well and pump on the ground. Some of the buckets were used at the fire, but it was too far gone for any of them to be of any use.—Detcctiva Jeffery : I recollect last Sunday morning I was aroused by some of the men in the Barracks. It was just before two o clock. When I got to the Hall the front part was on fire. The front door had not caught the flames. The front had not fallen in. I saw Mr Russell about ten minutes after. He handed me the bucket and contents now produced. I carefully examined them. There was a strong smell of kerosene. The contents are of canvass duck, such as is used for military sheets ; the stuff is much worn. There was some paper—part of a Hew Zealand Herald , date 20th November, and part of Souther a Cross , date 22nd November. The hooping is what is used for packing bales. There is fine rust on it. The iron is what is used for bales, or enclosing bulky articles. I examined the place next morning round about, but saw no hooping like to t lat produced. The fire was in the upper corner ; of that there can be no doubt. There was no fire on the right-hand side of the building, but I am unable to say where it originated, as it was far advanced when I reached the spot.—Mr Pearce : 1 am manager of the Now" Zealand Insurance Co. residing in Auckland. I know the Choral Hall. It is insured in the New Zealand Insurance Company for £2,000. The insurance had been completed about three months. The building had been burnt down in January last. It was then insured. I think the amount was £1,500. The origin «f the first fire has never been satisfactorily accounted for. On the day previously the kerosine store had been on fire. It has never been ascertained how that came to happen. The ‘City of Auckland ’ was also burnt about a week previous. The fire was not accounted for—Mr Fenton came forward, and, addressing the Coroner, said that in the neighbourhood of the Choral Hall there was no police protection whatever; and that, excepting through the courtesy of Mr Broliam, those belonging to the Hall had never been able to obtain any police assistance excepting when special occasion required. It was necessary, if property was to be protected that the police should patrol the ground at intervals of half-hours during the night where population and property were centred. He trusted that the jury would add as a rider to their verdict that there was not sufficient police for the proper conservation' of the city.—The Coroner said he quite concurred in the remarks made by Mr Fenton, and if he (Mr Fenton) wished he would cause Mr Broliam to be sworn.—Mr Broliam was then sworn and examined. He said : I am Inspector of Armed Constabulary. The total amount of force available for the city is 13 men. Several of these—to the number of five or six—such as the water-police and the guard at the lock-up, are included in the number. Three or at the most four are the largest number that can be placed on duty to conserve the city. These are placed in Queen-street; when a fourth can be spared, he is placed in Ilobsonstrcct. No other part of tho city is subject to police supervision during tliG night or day. At least six constables ought to be employed for such protection. —The jury then retired, and after a short deliberation returned the following verdict: — “ That the fire by which the Music Hall was destroyed on the morning of the 10th December was an act of wilful incendiarism by some person or persons unknown ; and, in order to prevent, as far as possible, the commission of similar crimes, they recommend that the present police force be increased to the extent recommended by the inspector.”