THE WHAREAMA TRAGEDY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1065, 4 May 1882, Page 2

THE WHAREAMA TRAGEDY.

INQ ÜBS T.

The inquest on the bodies of the Smith family was held _at the, Whareama Ferry on the Ist iiist.,..before Mr E. Maunsell, J.P.,, acting coroner. There being no building within some miles of the ferry the inquest had to be held in the open air,

A jury was empanelled, • Mr Miller being chosen foreman.

Ohas W. Holland deposed that on Sat* urday, 29th April, at shout a quarter to six in the evening, he passed down the hill opposite Smith's lior.se,: The roof appeared to be then standing—by the roof he meant the framework. Could not see any sign of fire. On Sunday, 30th April, he came up and swam the river, and found' the place burnt down, On Saturday evening it was too dark for him to see whether the house wat completely burnt, he being on the other side of the river, Had heard that smoke had beon soen an Meredith's run on Thursday in the direotion of Smith's house," Believed the names of the Smiths to be George Smith the father, Eliza Smith the mother, Mary, and William Smitii daughter and ion. Judging from appearances, tlioM had been a fire on Saturday. Believed the roof was standing on Saturday evening. It had been raining on Friday evening.

Thomas Nathan deposed that on Svnday morning (30th April), in company wjth others, he passed the remains of Smith's house—the house being burnt down. They looked round to see if any of the Smiths were about, and then they examined the ruins and found the charted remains of bodies. He remarked the ret .mains ot stays upon one of % .bodies, which he took to be that of Mrs Smith, Judging from thg stays she was dressed at the time of the fire. Judging from what l)e saw he should say that the house had been burned down about two days. The jury, after consideration, returned the verdict-" That George Smith, Mm ~ Smifh, his wife, and their two children, /V, Mary and Wilham Smith, wero burned to death on or about the 30th April, 1882, through their house being burned down, but that there is no evidence to show how the fire originated."

Mrs Smith was found lying with her feet inside the threshold. Smith's remains were a little more towards the middle of the room, as if he had fallen rather to the left of Mrs Smith, The little boy's remains were close to the chimney, at the right hand side. The little girl's remains must have been in the room to the left of the chimney, and J judging from the remains of stays may have been dressed at the time, judging from appearances, the parents must have been outside, and on Beeing the house on fire rnshed in to roseue the children, when 1 the whole house collapsed, burying' them in the flames.

The house was built of tqi toj and ranpo, and was yery q}d. The remains wero collected in a box fov burial.