The Auckland Fire.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 172, 6 July 1901, Page 3

The Auckland Fire.

Auckland, July 4

The inquiry into the recent fire a*the Grand Hotel was continued yesterday. when more evidence of an extraordinary nature was given. Jessie Minns, re examined, stated that she hud been unable to sleep at nights for the last six years and had been accustom ;d to read till two o’clock in the morning. She often fell asleep in a hot bath. After a long crossexamination by' Sub Inspector Mitchell the girl added to her former statement, giving evidence of a more sensational character still. Her story briefly put was to the effect that on night immediately preceding the fire, (Thursd iy), instead of staying in her bedroom after she went there from her bulb, as she first o.aied, she remained about a quarter of an hour only, and then went upstairs. There she mot the three men of her former story, who ware, she said, engaged in rubbing die walls and carpets with some “ stuff from a bottle” because of which, she was told by one of them, a fire would burn rapidly when being started. She wont on to state that the men told her they were well paid by a gentleman to d) Mr Johnston an injury, and that if she would help them they would divide the proceeds. She refused to do more than to keep their secret. One of the men showed her two places on the top floor of the building where he intended to start the fire. She was sure she had not dreamt this extra ordinary story, nor read one like it, and said further that on Tuesday evening last she saw the three men and three others, and heard them threaten to hunt her down.

Miss Minns will be called again to morrow on tho resumption of the inquiry.