A FATAL FIRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2651, 5 November 1909, Page 4

A FATAL FIRE.

■ GED MAORI WOMAN BURNED TO • death.

An outbreak of fire unhappily attended .with a fatal result, broke out in a two-roomed whare on the Maori reserve near the YVaikunae beach, shortiv before 9 o’clock last night 4he whare was occupied- by Mr and Mrs. Tj Harrv Willoughby, and the latter, who- V was better known to Gisborne people as Heni Thompson, was burned to death. The deceased woman was well \ over eighty years old, and was practically a cripple. She was verv well known in the district and some months mo married Willoughby, a European, and a comparatively young man. Jhe whare was a new one, having only been built about eight months ago, audit was occupied intermittently since then bv the deceased woman and iier husband. There was no insurance on the whare or its contents, the total value being estimated at aboui £lou. * A large crowd quickly gathered round the fire, and a report soon gained currency that Heni was inside the burning building. The rumor was denied but a search of the neighboring, houses was unavailing and sad confirmation was apparent as soon as the flames subsided a little, when the charred body of the unfortunate woman was to be seen-lying on the floor not far from the door. When the fire'wasfirst discovered, the flames had a very strong hold, and the building was soon completely demolished, only the brick chimney being leit standing. there was no water supply available, the nearest main being on the town side of the footbridge over the WailcanaeCreek, but even if there had been the fatality could not have been averted, nor could the whare have been saved, as the alarm was not giveii promptly. A water-tank stood near the bouse, and by means of a few buckets of water thrown on the burning building, in tbevicinitv of the body, Sergeant Hutton was enabled to go in, although the heat was intense, and recover thy remains of the unfortunate woman. The admiring, crowd heartily applauded Sergeant Hutton for his effort. The remains were charred beyond recognition, and were conveyed, to the morgue by Sergt. Hutton and Constable Pratt. The District Coroner (Mr. W. A. Barton, S.M.) was informed of the sad fatality, and m all probability an inquest will be held to-day. Seen after the fire was over, Mr. Thomas Sidney, a grand-nephew of the deceased woman, stated that about 8.15P.m. fie went to the whare, where he found Heni, her husband, and a mannamed Edward Tittley. He remained there for about ten minutes. Heni being asleep on a bed in the kitchen close to the chimney, with a lighted candle near the bed/ Tittley left the whare. and some time afterwards Sidney and Willougbbv also went out, going 0%-er to Mr. Collier’s house adjoining. When they left the house. Heni was still lying on the bed -apparently asleep. When they got to Collier’s house, they ' noticed that the door of the whare hadbeen left open, and they both returned to shut it. They then met Tittley coming back to the whare with twosqaarc gin bottles full of beer, and ihe--thres of them , went over to Collier’s, having first closed the door of they whare. .They remained in Collier’s house for about 20 minutes, and upon opening the door to leave, Sidney noticed a strong glare in the whare, apparently in the kitchen. He ran over and burst open the door, but a sheet of Same shot out, and. he saw that the whole interior was a mass of flame, and was unable to enter the building. He heard no sound 1 coming from the wliare, audit is certain that at this time the unfortunate woman had met her untimely end. In all probability the origin of thefire uill, for ever, remain a mysteryThe theory, however, is that bv. somemeans the bedclothes, and possibly the deceased’s own clothing caught fire from the lighted candle. She then ap--parently got up and endeavored to reach the door, but when sonic little distance • away was either overcome by the flames or smoke and fell down where she was eventually discovered, a charred and unrecognisable mass. _ The deceased woman was a rangatira of her tribe, and was reputed to be very wealthy. She' owned a considerable quantity of land in the vicinity of Te Ivaraka. She has few immediate relatives in the district. Many were the expressions of sorrow last night from both Maoris and Europeans at the ghastly fate that had overtaken the unfortunate old woman. Later Jn the. evening, after the fire. both Willoughby (her husband) and / Tittley, the other man who was there, were arrested by the police on charges, of drunkenness.” Willoughby is a. prohibited person, and a charge* of breach of his order will most probably be preferred against him at the Police Court this morning.