1917-08-02

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THE CAINE ROAD DISASTER ENQUIRY AT THE MAGISTRACY. There was a sequel to the Caine Bead collapse at the Hongkong Magistracy yesterday when an enquiry was ducted by Mr. J. R Wood into the circumstances surrounding the death of one of the six persone, a woman, who were killed by the collapse of the servants

eon;

quarters at the rear of Nos. 10 und 12. Caine Band, due to the giving way f

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, AUGUST 2ND. 1917.

in the wall, a long time ago, two years, On the murning of the 10th, at 7 'o'clock water and earth were rushing through the crack. He did not see the actual collapse.

Mr. Wakeman then asked Have you any opinion as to why the wall collapsed 1-Nu, I cannot say,

Mr. Stevenson-It was raining heavily when he arrived in Hongkong on July

15th.

Mr. Lo then questioned witness - a portion of the large retaining wallgarding the warning given to the houses of St. Joseph's College playground.

The jury was composed of the follow- ・ing: --Mera, S. Johnstone, "C. D

Harrison and. A. M. da Silva,

· near-

Father Prampa said that the Bishop did, not give any explicit instructions. to tell the He (witness) told the "boy Mr. Stoavenson was present to watch people in the houses near that the wall

the case on behalf of St. Joseph's College authorities, Mr. En represented the occupiers of No. 12 Caine Road, and Mr. Wakeman, Crown Solicitor, watched

The case on behalf of the Crown.

The Coroner explained the object of the enquiry and said it was being held to find out whether any neglect was attributable to the owner of any of the pressises concerned, in the work which was going on in the St. Joseph's College premises. Mr. Wood added that she usual procedure in such cases was to ask for a report from each department, That was done in this case. The police made enquiries from all the persons concerted, and the statements taken by the police

were

sent to his as Coroner, and on those statements the Coroner decided whether or not an enquiry should he held, and whether witnesses should be called. In this case the police had asked for infor- mation from the architect of the firm encerned in work at St. Joseph's College, and also from the owners of the St. Joseph's College premises. The police were met with very civil refusals to give any information. He did not want to eriticise anyone in connection with that matter, because it was obvious that the retaining wall came down, and this might involve the owners of the property con- cerned in serious civil liabilities, and no doubt they did not want to commit themselves. But as a result of that he hand taken the unusual step of asking the Crown Solicitor to attend that enquiry and to call such witnesses as he might think fit to call, and to see that the whole of the facts, available reached the jury.

Mr. Wakeman then entled Lee-Serg Field. This witness said that on July 10th he received notice of the collapse about 11 am. He went to the place and saw that a retaining wall and servants' quarters had collapsed at the rear of No. 10 and 12, Caine Road, He Bow

10 and 1 several people in the debris, and saw the body of a Chinese woman, aged about 30, recovered. The hody was removed

to the mortuary,

A Chinese lady gave evidence of identification, Rating that the dead woman was a relative of the Lau family She went on to describe the collapse. At the time she was in No. 19, Caine Road, the servants quarters came down. When these care down slic happened to be in

was falling down, and he himself was of the opinion that the wall would collapse. He did not know that Nos. 10 and 12, Caine Road were occupied by four different families.

Brother Amar, Director of St. Joseph's College; said he gave orders to Mr. Little to superintend the work which was pro- ceeding on the playground. The work consisted of the levelling of the play- ground, and the re-building of the Cains Road corner of the retaining wall. Wit ness, asked Mr. Little's advice early this your, and that was the work he reenm- minded. Witness and Mr. Little examin. ed the playground and the wall Mr. Little agreed to superintend the work. The concrete surface of the playground was cracked, and the wall was also cracked. A corner of the playground had also sunk. He noticed that the wall was cracked in July, 1916), and he asked the builders of the wall, Mears. Leigh

Orange, to inspect the ground around the will

HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL.

MILITARY SERVICE.

A meeting of the above is to be held this afternoon.

The Hon Mr H E. Pollock, K.C will ask:

1.—Will the Government take steps to

prevent the Chinese from digging in the mud or turning up the mud with their hands on the foreshore between Arsenal Street and the North Point Hotel f

2.-Wil the Director of Public Works state what steps, if any, have been taken, and, if so, when, for the construction of the promised Road to connect Nathinn

Rond, Kowloon, with Coronation Road?

Has any contract been signed for the

work, and, if so, when When is it estimated that such connecting road will be completed?

The Orders of the Day Care as follow

The wall was inspected Mr. Leask, and he reported that he did ut consider the crack dangerous then, and left instructions for the crack to be filled in with cement. This was done. First reading of a Bill intituled, ́ ́* An- The Coroner asked the object of these subsequently, de in 1910, the crack re- Ordinance to make provision with respect questions.

appeared, and he placed the matter in to military service and to provide for the hands of Mr. Little early this year, the establishment, maintenance and con The architects, the one he saw in 1915 trol of a local defence eprps.”” and Mr. Little, did not seem to look upon Second reading of the Bill intituled, the wall me being dangerous. Mr. Little** An Ordinance to amend the Special gave his orders to the Chinese clerk of Police Reserve Ordinance, 1914, and to work Witness was not present when the remove doubts as to the effect of pro- collapse took place, "

clamations made under section 10 of the said Ordinance.”

Mr. Lo replied that it was a feature of the case that no people at No. 10 were killed, and that the six people who were killed were in No. 12, and only No. 10 was warned of the dangerous condition of the wall.

The Coroner-Yes, it was very fortunate that the people in No. 12 were not warned.

In reply to a juror, witness said that when he saw the crack in the wall two years ago it was about four feet long and one inch wide..

Auswering another juror, witncas said that the St. Joseph's College authorities were notified of the crack in the wall two years ago. The Christian Brothers knew of it, and it was closed some time ago, but opened again."

Replying to the Coroner, witness said the crack appeared in the wall when it was first built,, He could not say when it was closerl,

The "boy" who was sent to warn the houses nent was, next called He said that Father Grampa toki him to inform people that there was a crack in the retaining wall, and he went and told the servants in No. 10. Father Grampa did not mention may particular house; he told him to warn the people in the pres rises in front of the wall. He did not to any of the other houses, because Ko he thought they were occupied by one family.

By Mr. Wood-Nothing was done to repair the wall. He could give no reason why the wall was not rebuilt, he left it in the hands of the expert

Will not be proceeded with at this meeting.

Well, what instructions did you give COLLISION IN THE HARBOUR M, Little I told him to get the work done same time this year.

EXAMINATION LAUNCH AND MOTOR BOAT:

You did not state any time I-No, I did A collision between au examination service launch and a motor boat named not

New Kowloon, owned by Mr. Cheng Ping, was enquired into by Commander Beckwith, R.N.. ht the Hongkong Marine Court yesterday.

Witness added that Mr. Little had received fees for superintending the work, and he (witness) had seen Mr. Little superintending the work.

By Mr. Steavenson He received a letter from Mesure. Leigh & Orange in July, 1915, regarding the crack in the wall. This letter stated that they did not consider the wall dungerous at the time and recommended that the crack should be filled in with cement. This work was done

He relied on Mr. Little to take all necessary steps to protect the interests of St. Joseph's College.

Mr. Little inspected the wall with him in 1210, but he did not convey to witness' mind that there was any danger whatso

ver

Mr. Wood here intimated that he

Mr. Lo-Do not you think the rebuild thought the fault rested on this witness He was told to warn the houses in fronting of the wail should have been done

before the playground had been relaid of the wall, and he only went to one

Witnces I cannot say. I relied on the house. He was obviously to blame.

expert advice of Mr. Litth.

The coolic who was sent to St. Joseph's College by Father Grumpo said he was told to tell the head of the college to get someone to prop up the retaining wall with bamboo poles, ay it was badly cracked. Witness gave the message to the interpreter, who then informed the head of the College.

The Chinese clerk of works, who was

Brosher Wrinthian said he was in charge of St. Joseph's College on July 16th About 10.15 am he was told by a boy that the crack in the will was becoming wider He went to inspect the wall and saw the crack and realised that it was dangerous, Witness went back to look for some of the college workmen to, prop the wall up, but before he had got. the men together the wall had collapsed.. Mr. Wakeman-Did you warn the

in charge of the work which was pro † people living near No, I got a warning ceding on the St. Joseph's College playground, said he was employed by the

and I thought that the people living near the wall had also been warned. My first thought was to have the wall propped up. Brother Alphonse, a master of St.

Mr. Leo D'Almada represented Mr. Cheng Ping,

The officer in charge of the examina tion launch concerned, Mr. W. E. Biggs, said that on July 17th, he was at his post on board, between Stonecutters. Island and torpedo pier. Ile saw the motor-bost approaching at considerable speed. When about 10 yards away from the launch the motor-bout, instead of coming alongside port to port, made a circuit to the north and then went south, this bringing her once more towards the launch. The motor-boat was told to go. usters, but no notice was taken, and the stem of the motor boat dashed into the launch's purt bow, This caused o kole about three inches square in the launch.

The coxswain of the motor bont said there was a heavy sea running at the time, and though he admitted colliding with the launch, he said that no damage was done beyond the scratching off of some paint. Even his small boat was not damaged.

The evidence closed after other similar evidence had been given. -

HONGKONG MAGISTRACY. PURSE SNATCHER

Bentener of three months hard labour

the quarters, but she was saved by crouch- Brother Director of the College, and Joeph's College, said that on the mora and four hours stocks was the seatene

ing under a marble-top table. When everything had come down," added the witness, I climbed out again."

Formal evidence was given by another Chinese woman and also by a Chinese photographer, who took various views of the collapse.

arranged for the contractors At the present time new buildings were being erected and the playground was being

passed upon a purse snatcher, who coolly put his hand into another man's pocket. and then walked into the army of an. Indian constable.

COOLIES AT VARIANCE.

of July 10th, about 10 s.m., a boy came to report that the wall was in a dangerous condition. Witness took the boarders from the playground into the college, and warned thao, not to go an the playground again. He assembled the RAMS scholars at 11 am for study, and wher they were seated he left the study hall

A Chinese olie appeared before Mr. for a moment, and as he reached a window he heard a loud crack and on looking Wood with his head heavily bandaged, out be saw the wall totter and then fall and churged another coolie with assault. over Witness made a couple of attempts to ring up the police, and when he even tally got them they informed him that they had had the news already-

Dr. Macfarlane, nudical officer in concreted. Witness added that be received charge of the public mortuary, spoke to his orders to do the work from Mr. examining the body of the decensed on Little, the architect. The work on the "July 17th. The cause of death was playground was not yet completed, and asphyxia due to being buried under the it was in progress when the collapse took earth.

pince. The portion of the playground which collapsed with the wall had not been concreted at the time. When the filling-up of the playground was in pro- gress he did not notice the condition of Father Angel Grampa, of the St. the wall generally, but he did see a crack Joseph's College, said that he was in in it. Witness added that he first noticed charge of the Weichai district, but on the crack last year, in September, and July 18th he was staying at Hongkong, he commenced the work of filling up the in the quarters in Caine Road

playground about four or five months Answering Mr. Wakeman, witness said ago. The crack was in the wall when he that at 6.45 am on July 16th he noticed commenced the work under the directions crack in the retaining wall of the of the architect, and he told the Director College playground, not a big crack He saw it again at 7 am, and the crack was longer-At-10 am- ho again saw the wall and the crack had widened. He then reported this feet to the Bishop The latter was engaged, but he told wit news to send the boy to the houses near to warn the residents. This he did, felling the "boy" to say that the wall was dangerous. It was raining heavily at the time. A second messenger was sent

Mr. Wright Executive Engineer in the Public Works Department, spoke to visit ing the scene of the collapse on July 16th. He found that the wall had collapsed

Defendant denied the assault and Mr. Wood discharged him.

The complainant said that he was carrying a bag of rice in San Tau Lano, Connaught Boad West, when the bag. fell off his shoulder. The defendant was working with him, and be asked him for a length of 70 feet. Witness examined lift the bag on to his shoulder again. the ground in the vicinity of the wall. For some reason or other the other confie and in bis opinion the collapse was chuise f by the recent heavy rain soaking through took offence at this and struck him with the uncovered portion of the playground, an aron, hook and so causing extra pressure on the hack of the wall; possibly for the whole depth If there were cracks in the surface of the around it would resist the collapse The Building Authority, he added, received no of the College about it, but received no notice of any work in connection with the instructions regarding it. Witness added playground, and, within the meaning of the Building Ordinance, he considered that ho frat heard of the collapsi at 12.30 that it was new work. By law it was the p.m. on July 18th, and he immediately duty of the owners of property to give A Chinese married woman, of Mom arranged for the remaining portion of the notice of such work, but this was usually Street, Wanchai, has reported to the done by the architect If he bail hind wall to be shored up. In his opinion netice he would have seen the plan of police that at 10.45 3.m, on the collapse was caused by the fact that the work and used his judgment upon it. when she was walking in Wing the walls used for the retail Be Me Wood The addition of earth Lane, two men came up from behind. One

fo the playground would mean an addit

tham put piece of cloth were not square atones; they were round. tional pressure on the wall. If the sur of The comment blocks used on the playground facing had been done on the old earth in her mouth and the other proceed

The were designed by the architect surface immediately in his opinion the BARRAN

all would have been up now. Heed to match two gold bangles. thought the foundations of the wall were second mea also snatched a bangle, and in good condition

both of her assailants got away. The

on th woman values the bangles at $85.

to St Joseph's College Half an hour By Mr. Wood-He did not remember later the wall came down. Before the the wall ever having been repaired since morning of the 18th he had seen a crack, it was erected,

The hearing was adjourned until po-day at 11:30 a..

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