THE MUNGAPAKEHA FIRE ENQUIRY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5112, 24 August 1895, Page 3

THE MUNGAPAKEHA FIRE ENQUIRY.

An enquiry into the circumstances attending the fire at Mungapakehii, by which the school was destroyed, was held at Te Nni yesterday,before Mr T. Hutchison, District Coroner. Thomas Frederick Smith deposed that he lived about 200 yawls from the site of the late school. At (> a.m. and noticed the school was down. Saw Mr Deane at his door and shouted that the school was burnt down, and together they went to the ruins and had a look. The School was completely destioyed. It had been shut up for the holidays and the master was absent in Christchurch. The building was worth £3O, and furniture and fittings about £2O. In reply to aquestion as to whether any person could Inve any motive for burning the school, witness said that there had been a bit of a disturbance amongst the members of a ball committee, and some of them had a " bit of a down" on the schoolmaster, Never heard Deane or any other person use any hostile expression towards the schoolmaster. Joseph Schofield, jinn., gave evidence that he knew of no one who had unfriendly feeling towards the schoolmaster. Charles Rogers, Chairman of the

School Committee, gave similar Wvidence. Deane, shepherd on Langdale, gave evidence that he looked out of his door at about halfpast twelve on the night of the lire, at which h«ur there was no visible sign of lire. His house was about 200 yards from the school site. Next morning at 6 o'clock, noticed a fog hanging about the school, which looked strange, and while looking at it, Smith called out that the school was burnt down. Knew no one who had any feeling of hostility against thesohoolmaster. WasnCommitteeman and had given £5 towards building the school. Alfred Maile gave evidence that while driving, his brake towards Langdalo in the night, he saw a lire, which lie discovered to be the school. Did not know what time in the morning it was. Did not warn Smith or Deane, because he thought they must have known of it. The timber was burning on the ground when' witness passed. The juiy returned a verdict" that the fire was wilfully caused by some ( person or persons unknown," and guided a rider, " That the evidence Thomas Deane from any part in the fire,"