November 8, 1902.]
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
visits he had made to the houses, and was com- | piled from his diary. The first inspection was made on 3rd June last year, and the last on 12th March, 192. Between those dates he had visited the honses 24 times; they were near his residence, and he could visit them inspection of the whole work, and was thorough- fr. qneptly. On 18th March he made a thorough ly satisfied with it; he had four holes cut in the walls, and produced samples of the brick mortar and plaster used which he picked up on in Court were picked up haphazard, and he the morning after the collapse. The two bricks
bricks used. The samples were as hard when considered them to be fair specimens of the they were picked up as they were now, but they hal at that time been rendered soft to a certain extent by the heavy rain. Water had rate. though not in England. Witness did not the effect of softening bricks -nt here, at any
clay. The piece of plaster produced was also a see any bricks that were as soft as the original fair sample of the material used but heavy rain falls such as occurred here would in time pene- trate the coating of plaster and enter the brick- wall.
From May till November he got $60 a month wages and $5 a month allowance for launch hire. He commenced work on these houses about May and from May till September these were the only houses he had to look after. In September he had 20 more to look after; these belonged to Messrs. Leigh & Oran re. afterwards he had 48 houses more belonging to Then. the Land Investment Co. to look after that was a little before Christmas. After November hig pay was $15 more that was $75. He got $75 a month up till last month; just now he was getting $60. The roofs and walls of the 15 houses on lot 1,107 were finished in Japnary or the beginning of February; all the work on that block was finished in the beginning of March. The roofs and walls of the block un Lot 1,108 were finished about March the whole of the work was completed in the latter part of May The houses on Lot 1,118 were finished a little before the houses on Lot 1,108. As overseer he was on the works every day from 8 a m. till 5 30 p.m. while he was living in Honkong. He moved over to the other side in November la-t year, and then he attended at the works from 7.30 a.m. till 5.30 pm., going home for meals. When he said he was on the works he meant by "the works these 50, 20 and 48, houses. The north wall of the block on Lot 1,8 showed a small cr.ck at oud of May or the beginning of June. He pointed it out to Mr. Leigh, and the wall was taken down to the foundations and rebuilt; the rebuilding was Anished some time in June, but witness could not remember the exact date. On 18th July last Nos. 30 and 32 fell down, and the southern wall of the block on Lot 1,107 was cracked after the typhoon of 2ad August; that also was taken down. At the sam time two cook-houses on Lot 1.103 fell down, and one crack appeared in the northern wall of that lot, No more cracks had appeared in this wall since 2nd August; witness last saw it yesterday (Monday). After looking at the exhibit shown him, he thought there might be some small oracks, but there was no crack leading from about the level of the second floor down to the ground. Witness did not think that the western wall of the block ou Lot 1,108 had any tendency outwards, and so far as he knew no cracks had appeared in the party walls of that block of houses; he believed that two tie-rods had been put in between Nos. 36 and 38 on block 1,108, but by whose orders he did not know. With reference to block 1,107, the western wall there had no tendency outwards, and no cracks had appeared in the party walls. He could give the Court no reason for these two houses, Nos. 30 ani 32, falling down, uor could he explain the cracks in the walls and the collapses of the two kitchens. At three o'clock on 18th July witness went over all the works, and none of the plaster on the two blocks was off at that time, and as far as he could set it was not blistered or bulged. At about tea or eleven o'clock on the morning following the collapse he examined some of the fallen bricks, and found them wet owing to the heavy rain, but fairly good. The bricks on the top of the heap were softened by the heavy riu which fell after the accident. Regarding the materials, it was witness's opinion that they were good and in accordance with the specifica- tions. While the fifty houses were being built, Mr. Crisp, the inspector of buildings, sometimes visited them. He may have been there without being seen by witness, who saw him about once a month. He made no complaint to witness as to the quality of the materials used. The architect came about twice a week, and he would sometimes say that good bricks and mortar were to be used, but he had no complaint in respect of the quality of the material. Ng Leung, the English-speak- ing foreman, was there every day. Witness did not think there was any sinking of the founda- tions either on Lot 1,107 or Lot 1,108. The water for building purposes was obtained from three wells dug in the vicinity, which were filled up when the work was finished.
By Mr. Wilkinson-It was witness's duty to see that the work was done in accordance with the specifications, and he was satisfied that it
was.
By a juror-Witness supervised, the mixing of the mortar and the laying of the bricks.
P. T. Crisp, inspector of buildings, said he know the blocks of houses erected ou Lots 1,107, 1,108, and 1,118. The list produced showed the
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By Mr. Looker-One of the four holes was cutting of such holes was to make sure that the cut in the collapsed wall at No. 30. The walls were properly built.
Witness -hen I say properly built, I mean, of con se, as walls go here.
By juror The holes cut in the walls were tou inches square.
The enquiry was then adjourned.
The enquiry was resumed on Thursday noon before Mr. F. A. Hazeland.
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361
appeared to be out of plumb, through its being bonded to meet the portion that had not ben wall since 19th July, and could not therefor taken down. Witness had not examined the
say whether any fresh cracks had appeared; aj a matter of fact, he had not seen any of the houses since 19th July.
By Mr. Looker-The bricks‹f the collapsed wall at No 30 fell principally into the house (No. 30) itself, and those of N. 32 into the lane. s far as witness could see-be was unable to few bricks in No. 32 get inside-there appeared to be comparatively There was no particu`ar
in the two houses. The remaining portion of way of distinguishing letween the bricks used the wall of No. 30 showed many signs of having been hit with bricks, but No. 32 not to the same extent. Witness's theory was that No. 32 fell house was in plamb. Softening of the mortar first; the remaining portion of the wall of this -the theory advanced by Mr. Leigh-would The wall of No. 3) was probably out of plumb result in the wall being out of plumb outwards. when the certificate from the P.W.D. was issued on 19th March, four months before the collapse. The wall was au inch and a quarter out of plumb in seven feet. The fault should have been noticeable to a trained eye
Now, Mr. Cri-p's is
suppose so.
And Mr. Leigh's? -Yes.
a trained eye?—I
And they both inspected the wall?—Yes. And don't you think it probable that if the wall had been 11 inches out of plumb in seven fert, they would bare unticed it ?—Yes.
In answer to another question by Mr. Looker, after-witness said that he believed the northern wall ou Lot 1,8, which showed signs of cracking, was pulled down on the initiative of the architects,
(recalled), said that on 11th March there was H. EY. Haggard, assistant engineer, P.W.D.
of the Building Ordinance, by Messrs. Leigh & an application handed to him under Section 53 Orange, for a certificate for houses on Lot 1.107. It was minuted to him by Mr. Tooker, and passed on to Mr. Crisp for inspection. The words application by Mr. Crisp, and accordingly the cer- Certainly be granted were placed on the
had not made any inspection of the hicuses on tificate was granted. Up till that time witness this lot. On 19th July he heard that Nos. 30 aud 32. Kowloon (ity Road had collapsed; in conse- quence of this he went over and inspected the premises. He arrived about 10.30 a.m. There were several people present when he arrived. charge. The walls of the two houses abutting Mr. Crisp was there and the police were in
on the lane which runs between them had fallen down and the floors and roofs had given way. Looking at the two houses on the moruing after the collapse, witness cine to the conclu- dion that the side wall of No. 32 had fallen first. At that time he examined the fallen bricks aud fonnd them to be hard; he did not observe auy soft bricks amongst them. His inspection was made separately from that of Mr. Crisp, and the two bricks taken away by the latter from the debris were a fair specimen of the bricks used in the construction of the houses. Witness examined the remaining brickwork of both bouses, and it appeared to be hard and not unduly wet. of No. 32, which fell agains. and brought He was of opinion that the wall down the wall of No. 30, collapsed owing to the typhoon. He was also of opinion that the houses were built more strongly than most Chinese houses.
But none of these other Chinese houses came down. How do you explain that -There wight have been some other cause at work here. What other cause? Just tell us what you saw. Well, the remaining portion of the wall of No. 30 was out of plumb by 14 inches.
What do you think caused it to be out of plumb÷It had probably been built that way. 32 out of plumb?- No.
Was the remaining portion of the wall of No.
Was there any sinking of the foundations that you saw?--I did not examice the founda- tions; the debris was in the way..
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Continuing, witness said that examined the northern wall on Lot 1,108 he when he
found it to be badly bonded and hollow in parts. He wanted the whole wall to be pulled down and reported to that effect to Mr. Tooker; be was of opinion that the foundations had sunk. Excepting a portion at the back, the kitchen portion, the wall was subsequently pulled down, but after it had ben rebuilt a part of it
to
By Mr. Wilkinson-Mr. Crisp had no right having passed it, it was either a case of Mr. pass a wall which was out of plumb, and, Crisp neglecting his duty or of the wall being in plumb.
And don't you think it is more reasonable to subsequent to Mr. C.iep's inspection?--Yes. suppose that the wall became out of plumb
By Mr. Dennys-Witness should say that ground level. If the softening of the bricks the wall bagan to go out of plumb from the
plumb, that softening must have taken place and mortar caused the wall to go out of at the level of the ground. The wall was out of plumb when witness saw it on 19th reconstructed wall was out of plumb, but it had July; Mr. Crisp had already noticed it. The not beeu pulled down as a consequence. Irou out of plumb outwards. tie rods in th wall had not prevented its going
By Mr. Looker-It was a fact that one of the tie-rods had been pull d clean through the wall; that tie-ro had probably been inserted when the wall was out of plumb. Witness did not know whether the northern wall on Lot 1.103 was now out of plumb; it was out of plumb on 19th July. He would be surprised to hear that the wall, which, so far as he knew, had not since been rebuilt was plumbed two days ago and found to be all right.
By Mr. Dennys-The gable walls of the two
feet long. houses, Nos. 30 and 32, were 50 feet high and A wind from W.N.W. would
only. blow over N. 32 and catch No. 30 at the top
By Mr. Wilkinson-The ground floor of No. 30 would not got so wet from the rain as the top floo'.
duty to examine the houses before the certificate By a juror-It was not witness's personal had been granted by the P. W. D. The plaster on the wall, though half-an-inch in thickness, would not prevent the rain from penetraling to the outside face of the brickwork; it would not, however, go right througb.
Mr. Wilkinson-You have known of cases in this Colony where the rain has penetrated the walls of houses and wetted the inner plaster ?
Witness-Yes.
Mr. Dennys-But none of them came down in the typhoon?
Witness-No, so far I know. The enquiry was adjourned.
The Universal Guzette is informed that China is resolved to request the countries concerned to that no country will again station soldiers at withdraw their garrisons from Shanghai and that port.
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