THE GEORGE STREET FIRE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 261, 30 January 1873, Page 5

THE GEORGE STREET FIRE.

An inquiry was held on the 20th January, at the Hibernian Hotel, before Mr Hocken. City Coroner, and a jury, into the oricin of the fire in George street, on the 14th inst. Mr Bathgate appeared for the insurance companies interested, and Mr K. Cook ■watched the proceedings on behalf of Mr George. The followingevidence was taken : John Kilin : I am a general dealer, and live in George street. I was passing along George street at about half- past 4 o'clock on the morning of the fire, to cet a bottle of beer. I paw the gentleman who belongs to the hou«e where the fire originated (Mr George) standing on the kerb in front of his_ shop door. This would be about ten minutes , past five. A minute afterwards I saw a boy standing with him. When at Dodd's shop I saw smoke issuing from George's shop. _ I then walked quicker, and when opposite Simpson's, George pat up his hand and called me. I ran over, and asked him w.here the fire was ; and he said, "In the back room." I went through the shop into the back room, Mr George following me, and saw the fire, which was situate, as one enters, on the far side, and in tbe left hand corner of the room. The fireplace was quite away from this, being on the right hand side of the door. The fire was about four feet above the floor, and was burning its way upwards, consuming the lining of ginze on the wall. I don't think the woodwork was on fire. I said to George "have you got a bucket," and he replied that he bad. I then said " A bucket of water will put that out " He brought an empty bucket from the slop, and I told him to give it here. He said "Never mind; I'll do that." He put it under the tap, which was in the shop. As the water ran slowly, I said. "If the water does not run quicker, the place will be consnmed, so I had better give an alarm of fire." He said, "All right." It was then ten minutes past five. I rau to the Bell Tower and gave the alarm to the watchman. About two or three minutes elapsed before he gave the alarm, owing to the fact that he had to go to a neighboring cottage, appar >ntly to get the key. I then, went back to the fire, and found the place all aflame. I saw nothing particular on the room floor, such as cinders or shavings — merely a few pieces of unbu^nt paper. The fire appeared to me to have originated in the room, and not at its back. It struck me as something odd that George was very cool about the fire, and also that he did not seem to care to let me have the bucket at all. I saw nothin r flurried about hi 3 manner. He did not come into the room with me where the fire was, but remained in the shop looking at me. '• h■• left-hand corner of the room was unoccupied by the fire, which was on each side of it. The l.oy remained outside all the time. The smoke went up the wall, alone; the ceiling, and came out in a small quantity at tbe shop door. My reason for thinking the fire originated in the room is that the fire was in two parts I don't know George at all. From Dodd'd shop I saw the shop dopr open. I took neither wine, beer, nor s irits to drink from 12 to 4in the morning in question. 1 was as sensible as I am now. Thonms Jackman, aged 12 years, said: At about half-past five o » the morning of the fire, my brother and I were going up St. Andrew street, and when crossing Ueorge street I saw some man in his shirt sleeves run Across the road from where I saw some smoke coming. I called out, " Fire !" The man ran to the European and then came back and woke up the people who lived next door to the fire. He then ran to his shop, wh'ch is a picture one. I saw too where the smoke was coming from; it was from out of the windows the glass of which had melted. Mr George's shop was all right; the door was shut. There was neither smoke nor fire coming from George's. John Bacon: lam 14 years of age, and live opposite to where the fire occurred. On that morning I got up at five o'clock, for I looked at our clock, and happened to look across the road and saw a little smoke coming out of Mr George's top window, which was shut. I saw it through the glass. I looked for two or three minutes and saw a spark fly against the window. Mr George was walking up and down the front door (which was shut) looking up at the window. I did not see any boy near. I gave the alarm to my father, which was seven or eight minutes after I first saw the fire I then saw George walk over to our side of the street, and walk past our window. I saw the flames biwst throrgh the walls of his shop into the passage jbh»t separated it from Mr Robson's. He then went over to tbe other side and made a little bit of an alarm. He sung out, " Fire," but very slightly. I then assisted in getting our things out. Mr George walked up and down over ten minute 3 before he called out fire. It was ten minutes, because Hooked at the dock, and saw it was a quarter past five. George Inglis Merrie : I am a master tailor, and I live next door to where the fire was. On Tuesday morning last, the 14th inst., at five minutes past five, I was called up by the constable on duty and a neighbor, who said there was a fire next to me. I got up and went outside d ; rectly, and saw amoke coming through the weather-boards of Mr George's shop, in the side next to me,. There were no flames. I ran in anl put on my boots, and got a small water-hose. By this time the blaze was coming out of Mr George's windows. I never knew Mr George to be earlier at his shop than eight or nine o'clock The fire apparently originated about the right-hand corner of the back roo nas one enters from the shop. lam quite sure there was no fire outside at this corresponding point. The flames came through from the inside at this point. I haye known Mr George to be working till nine or .ten o'clock at night, perhaps later. Boberl Bacon : I am a shoe-maker, and I live opposite where the fire was. Last Tuesday morning, about five o'clock, my son aroused me with, an alarm of fire. 1 got up and looked out of a window door, and saw smoke and sparks inside of Mr George's upper windows. Mr George himself was walking up and down in front, and looking every how and then up at his windows, and also on the opposite side. I Bhpuld imag'ne that he Baw these sparks and smoke. I vas under the impression that he did. He . gave us no alarm then. I went to put on my ; clothes, and returned in about five minutes. ! The flames had then burst out, and Mr 1 George was calling out *' Fire, fire/ When , I flrrt »w Iwfy h,e W| walking very leiwrety

up and down. I watched him then for about a minute. I did not see any boy with him. The building was nearly down before the fire-bell sounded. About a q-iarter of an hour elapsed between my first seeing the smoke an 1 hearing the fire-bell. John rlartnett : I am a police constable, stationed at Dunedin At a quarter-past five o'clock a.m. on the 14th inst. I was on duty in George street and Moray place. I saw smoke issuing fro.n Mr George's premises—l thought from the back part of the premise 7 . I ran at once to the front of tho burniti3 buildin,', and saw Mr (leorge and Mr Chiaroni. Mr George wis walking backwards ami forwards in the middle of the street. I gave the alarm at once. Thomiß George : I am » lithographer, and live in Russell street. Oq Monday morning, the 13th inst , 1 sent some work home t j Kempthorne and Prosser's, and receiv d an order bick to be proceeded with at once, or I should get no more work fro a them, and therefore intended to do the work in the evening, but was obliged to postpone doing so. In changing my coat the same evening, I left my shop key at home. 1 his I found out after going te the shop in the evening. I got home abmt a quarter-pa<t eleven, and made up ray mind to go down early in the morning, as I have often done before. I got to my shop in George street about a quarter-past five in the morning. I took i.ff my coat, and went uptairs to work. In about half an hour I came down for water to thin my ink. On getting on the lm ling I smelt the fire, and when down a few staira t saw the ceiling of the back room on fire. I got a bucket from under the pros* . and went to the tap in the front shop. Before I could fill it I had to leave the front shop because it was full of fire I got ontside. shut the door, and went to Robson's door. Knocked several times. Mrs Robson came to the door. I said, " Where's Robsnn ? Make haste ; the plac 3 is on fire " I went to call up some pc >ple, how. ever, at the back, and then went to Robsou's and pulled out Mrs Robson. 1 also knocked op Bacon's boy, Mrs Aljne, and Coventry. When at Robson'a fist I saw the witness, Kilin, standing under ingl-s verandah, and beckoned to him. He came up. I told him abiufc the fire. He said he would fetch the engine, and he went off. He never came into the sh >p. I have not the slightest idea how the fire originated. I had a fire on the Saturday morning | revious ; this wis extinguished. I lighted a match on Sunday morning ti peal the parcel. I was insured in the Royal for L 250. I have been accustomed to work late and early at my shop. My business books are all burnt. I valued my whole stock at over L6lO. On the first Sunday of t'-is year I received three cises* of lithographic stones, worth about 142. Hrtlf of them are saved from the fire. After about fifty minutes consultation, the jury returned a v<jrd ct to the effect '• Fhit the fire broke out in the shop of Mr George ; but tinder what c ; reamsfcanae*, there was no evidence fo show."