THE LATE FIRE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2115, 8 October 1885, Page 2

THE LATE FIRE.

An inquiry into the origin' of the fire by which the stables of Messrs Huod & Shaw and of Mr J. Macara were destroyed, was held before Mr H. A. Stratford, R.M., and a jury consisting of Messrs T. Thompson (foreman), A. P. Fielding, J. Williams, W. M. Easthope, and O. Mason, at the Courthouse this morning.

John Watson, telegraph lineman, deposed that between one and two p.m. on Monday, October sth, ho was in Bannis-ter-street with others, and noticed the smoke issuing from Hood & Shaw's stables. It was coming out of the roof. The doors were open. He drew the attention of the others to it, and went inside and saw Mr Shaw, who was washing a horse's shoulders. He then ran to the forage room, which was half full of straw, and found it all ablaze. There was no chance of putting out the fire, and he therefore let the horses out of the stalls. There was a second door out of the forage room, which led to the back yard. It was open. There was nothing to show in what part of the room the fire originated. Charles Winteringham gave similar evidence, and said he helped to get the horses out of the stable. The fire had full possession of the building about five minutes after it broke out,

Thomas William Shaw said that at about twenty minutes past two o'clook lie was grooming a horse in tho stable when he heard the cry of" fire," and he then found the forage room in flames. He then helped to get out the horses, • There was a second door to the torage room, which he thought was shut. ■ The stable belonged to Mr Macara,. and he believed it was insured, but did not know for how much, He believed he was the only person in the stable at the time, The building was an old one. but sound, Tlje fire commenced in that portion nearest the street!' It is possible that there were holes large enough for lighted matches to be thrown through, He lost about- £l5O worth of stock.

James Macara deposed that he was the owner of the stables known as Hood and Shaw's, He passed near these stables in his own yard about eight minutes before the alarm of fire was given, Mr Oleghorn was with him at the time. When he heard the alarm he went to his own stables and sot to work removing his own horses and stock. Hood and Shaw's stables were insured for £l5O in the New Zealand office, the previous policy being £2OO. His larfife coaching stable was burnt down. It" was insured in the South British for £3OO, and he valued it at £IOOO. It had been insured for a larger sum and reduced to £3OO two years ago, The office burned down was worth £BO, and insured for £SO. About 2000 bushels of oats in stqclf were insured for £2OO. About 400 bushels of oats were saved, and he had allowed the Insurance Company £75 for these.

Alfred Elkins said that when he saw the fire he at once got out his own hose, but it was too late to be of use, as the whole budding was ablaze. The fire destroyed his own stables, which were 1 insured for L4OO, and valued at L7OO. A sample room just finished, valued at LIOO, uninsured, and outhouses wortfy Ll5O, were also burnt down. The Glub Hotel, with its stock, was insured for L 8,600, The damage to it he estimated at LIOO, The jury returned a verdiot to the effect that there was nothing to show how the fire originated.