HIMATANGI TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 242, 11 September 1929, Page 7

HIMATANGI TRAGEDY.

LATE MR WESTLAKE’S HOUSE,

NEIGHBOUR’S DESCRIPTION,

(From Our Own Correspondent). FOXTON, Sept. 10. Yesterday, a "Standard” representative journeyed to Himatangi to further interview Mrs King, the nearest neighbour ot the late Mr and Mrs T. Wright, Mrs King is emphatic that all bedrooms opened out into the living room and sketched a plan of the building placing tile various articles of furniture in their respective places. Mrs King says that she was in the habit of visiting the Westlake homestead two or three times weekly and knew the ins and outs of the house perfectly, having on occasions assisted Mrs Wright in arranging her rooms. On one occasion, the children had been playing in their bedroom jumping in and out of the window, which was a large one extending almost to the floor. Mrs King then remarked what a line window it was and Mrs Wright had replied that it would be a good exit in ease of fire. A previous sharemilker had asked Mr Westlake to put a door in the rear of the building but this had not been done. Possibly, however, Mr Westlake had made the window on the large side, realising that the place would be more or less of a death trap without any egress. Mrs King said that all the windows opened. She was possibly Mrs Wright’s only visitor, having been a girlhood friend. The lean-tos had been very roughly constructed with no ceilings and there were great cracks in the walls. In Mrs King’s opinion, once alight the place would burn with great intensity owing to the draught. Asked how she accounted for swedes and benzine tins being near Mr Westlake’s body in the centre of the living room, Mrs King said that they had been short of buckets at the farm and Mr Westlake had been in the habit of picking up the benzine tins discarded by the Maoris and taking them home for buckets. He was particularly fond of vegetables and if he had gone out to JBainesse on the night of the fire his way home would lead him through a paddock of swedes, and he had possibly pulled two or three of these. He would more than likely put them clown when attempting fo strike a light. Mr 4\e6tlake rode a horse on his night outings. Mrs King said that she was possibly the last woman to speak to Mrs Wright as she saw her only a few days prior to the tragedy. She had then made mention of going into Foxton to make some purchases. "I won t like going back to my home now,” concluded Mrs King, "it will be very lonely out there.” MANAWATU COUNCIL’S SYMPATHY. “It is with very sad feelings that I second this motion,” remarked Or. Hunt at yesterday’s meeting of the , Manawatu County Council in speaking ■ to a resolution of sympathy moved by the chairman (Cr. Barber) to the relatives of the victims of the tragic fire near Himatangi. Cr. Hunt said he had known Mr and Mrs Wright personally and lie had been overwhelmed at the news of the sad fate they and their children had met. They were ever ready to help, during their residence at Kongotea. with any good cause that was laid before them, and in every respect thev had been kind and neighbourly persons. The news ot their sad end came as a great blow to their many friends in Rongotea and to all knew- them. , . The following resolution was carried unanimously:—“That this cou cil places on record its sorrow at tragic fire near Himatangi invoting the loss of eight lives and expresses its deep sympathy to the relatives ot deceased in their sad bereavemen .

“NOTHING TO REPORT.” POLICE STATEMENT. When seen by a “Standard eentative this morning feenior-Detec-ive Quirke stated that there was nothing further to report m connection with tlie Himatangi hre.