Hugh McLellan, examined by Mr Harper : I was in the Queen’s Hotel billiard-room on the night of the fire, when the alarm of fire was given. I think I was the first, as far as I remember, who rushed out of the billiard room. I felt the smell of fire first; I then walked along the room, and saw fire coming up in a corner between the cupboard and the billiard-room door. I rushed into the com mercial-room, and said the place was on fire, and asked for some water. The first man I me; was Mr Jackson, and I asked him to get some water. He get a canful of water, and 1 threw it down the hole where the fire was coming up. I also emptied water down from several washing jugs and basins. By the foreman : A very nasty smell came up at the time. I fancied the smell of leather, but that might arise from thinking of the bootshop being underneath. It was a very nasty smell; the mate of the Taranaki re marked the smell. The smell came up before I observed smoke.
