16
also were the other dangerous goods involved in the fire with the exception of the Sodium Bichromate. Had the godown been inspected on that occasion, it is possible that the presence of these substances might have been disclosed and their removal ordered. It is unfortunate that a more thorough inspection was not made, but we accept the Chief Officer's evidence that his visit was of a casual rather than deliberate nature and that unlike the first occasion, he did not have the "reasonable grounds" for inspection required by the Dangerous Goods and Cinematograph Film Ordinances.
CHAPTER VIII-THE PREVENTION OF FIRE IN GODOWNS.
59. Our terms of reference required us to "consider and recommend what measures should be taken to prevent in the future" occurrences similar to that which occurred at the Wing On Godowns. This entailed an inquiry firstly into fire preven- tion as administered in the Colony, and secondly into the fire extinction system of the Fire Brigade. Just as in medicine the development of a preventive system lagged long behind the development of a system of curative medicine, so we understand the prevention of fires has only comparatively recently assumed any degree of importance even in socially advanced countries such as Britain. In England, fire prevention remains to a considerable extent the province of insurance companies, who impose on insurers of goods stored stringent requirements as to storage if premiums are to be kept low or the maximum rebate allowed. In other words safety in storage is ensured by economic factors. We understand that the London County Council almost alone among local authorities possessses a properly trained and equipped fire-prevention service, but the formation of similar units by other local authorities is receiving very active attention. Fire prevention services are likely to multiply and expand in the United Kingdom as the man-power situation improves. Here in Hong Kong we are fortunate in possessing adequate reserves of man-power, though admittedly possessing little technical ability.
60. After considering whether a fire such as occurred at the Wing On Godowns should be regarded as a normal risk in the Colony and on this basing some recom- mendations on the necessity for modifying existing legislative and administrative arrangements for ensuring the safe storage of cinematograph film and on the adequacy or inadequacy of the personnel strength, training and equipment of the Fire Brigade, a strict interpretation of the terms of reference might there have enabled us to limit our inquiry. We have however not been able altogether to exclude from the ultimate cause of the Wing On Fire the possibility that it might be attributable to other sources, and this led us to an examination of the regulations for the prevention of fires which might be caused by substances other than celluloid, which are chiefly to be found in the regulations to the Dangerous Goods Ordinance, 1873. Although the certain cause for the serious loss of life and damage at the Wing On Godowns is attributable to the violent flaming of cinematograph film, storage of which is controlled by a separate series of regulations under the Celluloid and Cinematograph Films Ordinance, 1923, it is convenient to treat film and celluloid as dangerous goods in the broader sense of the term. Where there is a discrepancy between the two sets of regulations, atten- tion will be drawn to it.
Legislation for the Handling of Dangerous Goods and Celluloid in General:
61. The processes involved in the handling of goods in the Colony are
follows:
as
(a) arrival by ship or by train or by air, or manufacture in the Colony
from raw materials;
(b) transfer by lighter or road transport or man-handling to ware-houses, shops, or manufacturies, or transfer to further transport for immediate despatch from the Colony;
(c) storage of goods which have arrived in ware-houses or shops or manu-
facturies;