THE SECOND FIRE IN GLADSTONE STREET.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 596, 21 December 1869, Page 2

THE SECOND FIRE IN GLADSTONE STREET.

CORONER'S INQUEST. An inquest was held yesterday, by the Coroner, Dr Giles, as to the causes of a fire which occurred on the premises of Messrs Dutton and Anderson, bakers, Gladstone street, on the oth of December last, the night of the other and greater fire which destroyed a large amount of property in Westport. The Coroner explained that, at the time of the fire, inquiries were made, and, although there were some discrepances in the statements of parties, they were not more than might be naturally expected under the excite-

ment of a great fire such as was going on at the time this fire occurred. Since that time, other circumstances had occurred in connection -with the fire of Saturday morning last which had shown it to bo necessary, both in justice to the owner of these premises and to the public, that an inquiry should be held into both fires. It would not be satisfactory to hold an inquest into Saturday's fire without holding also an inquest into that which broke out on the 6th. The reasons of this he need not state, because they were connected with the inquiry which would be held next day. The following witnesses were examined: James M'Alister, .baker with Messrs Dutton and Anderson; -Tames Gardiner (their shopboy), Thomas Mansell, John Terry, Vincent Fania, W. D. Kerr (agent for the Bank of New South Wales), T. W. Melville, John Leslie (agent for the Bank of New Zealand), John H. Dutton, and John Anderson. The evidence agreed as. to one point —that the fire was first seen in the papered ceiling of the back-shop, but there was not the slightest evidence as to its probable origin. It is impossible in our present number to publish even the small portion of the evidence which related to that part of the inquiry. The jury, after a Bhort consultation, intimated through their foreman, Mr W. Lloyd, that there was not sufficient evidence to enable them to say how the fire arose.