Page
THE CAINE ROAD DISASTER
MR. LITTLE GIVES EVIDENCE.
DAILY PRESE, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15TH, 1917,
THE HONGKONG
FIRE INSURANCE.
"SERVICES ENTERTAIN-
MENT FUND." :
The following subseriptions to the above fund have been received by the Treasurer during the work ending August 14th and are gratefully acknowledged
The hearing was resumed at the Hong kong Magistracy yesterday, by Mr. J. B. Wood, of the enquiry into the circum stances surrounding the denih of a female In the last published list of subscribers viem of the Caine Read disaster of July for the week ending August 7th, for 10h when the servants' quarters of Nas, "W. M. Humphreys-85" rend D. and 19, Caine Road were demolished, | MacDonald (July)-810; and for "Total as the result of the retaining wall of carried forward wad 81,908,70 instead of St. Joseph's College playground collaps- | $1,003.79, ing, six deaths resulting therefrom.
Mr. G. H Wakeman (Crown Solicitor} was present on behalf of the Crown, Mr. F. B. L. Bowley watched the case on behalf of Messrs, Leigh & Orange, Mr. D. V." Steavenson appeared for the authorities of St. Joseph's College, and Mr. Lo represented the recupiers of No. 19, Caine Road.
Mr. A. Colbourne Litile, architect, was the first witness,
Witness was cantioned by the Coroner, who said that in view of the evidence,
· Mr. Little, if he thought fit, could refuse to answer questions which he might think were prejudicial,
Mr. Little then said that he had been engaged to do extrosion work at St. Joseph's College, and that he supervised this work. The work included certain repairs in the playground. The sketeli, (produced) wsa made by him, and was
handed to the Chinese clerk of works to carry cut the work. The work on the playground commenced early this year, and before it was commenced he had a "walk around" with Brother Amar: it was not an inspration. At the beginning of 1916 he had examined the retaining wall, and is had no appearance then of being unsafe; be considered it to be safe, Early in the present year he also looked
at the wall with Brother Amar, and it
was then in the same condition. Witness advind Bro. Amar to open up the ground at the back of the ernek, to see
if there was any defect in the wall. The playground required re-surfacing, and he supervised this work. He did not super. vise the work on the wall; he had no definite instractions to do so. He merely recommended that the work should be done; he did not say it should be done at oner, but that the wall should be examined to see what its stability was Fike. His recommendation with regard to the wall had not been carried out so far, Witness added that he had nothing to do with supervising the contractors or the payment for the work. The clerk of the works was the man who had charge of the work, Mr. Chan Ah. Tong.
Mr. Wood-He said he took his orders From you -Certainly, so far as regards the buildings.
Witness added, in reply to Mr. Wood that the original intention was to raise
Brought forward H.S.B.C. Int, to 30-6/17 2 per
cent,
** An A.C." J. R. W.
Dr. and Mrs. Marriott
G. E. 8. J. S. Perry
* Monthly subscription.
Carried forward
§ Donation.
T. ROBINSON
(General Secretary).
F. G. B. HARTINGS, R.N..
(Naval Secretary).
$1.908;79
6:00
3,00
AN INTERESTING CLAIM.
HONGKONG AND GERMANS,
We nole from the last mail (anys the London and China Express) that "the" The hearing was resumed at the Hong-official element in the Hongkong Legisla kong Summary Court, yesterday, of the tive Council has put its vete upon the resolution brought before it by the Chair- man of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, to the effect that GermRNS should be excluded from the Colony for ten years after the war, and that they should only be admitted at the end of thint prei under licence. The Governor ex-
in which the Yung Feng firm of Kangoon claim 8500 from The Shanghai Fire and Marine Insurance Co., Ltd. The clain is made, ander a policy of fire insurance issued to the plaintiffs,
Me C. G. Alabaster (instructed by Mr. Leo d'Aranda) for plaintifs, and
INTIMATIONS.
LANE,
CRAWFORD & Co.
(ESTABLISHED 1850).
(TELEPHON 1741).
Mr. Eldon: Potier (instructed by Mr. A. messed the view that it was not in SHIPCHANDLERY
M. Pristan) represents the Company.
Mr. Potter, at the close of the evidence 10,00 for the defence, again addressed the Court,
the interests of the Colony." Neverthe less, the rejection of the resalution seems to have aroused a good deal of indigna- tion on the part of the business com-
50.00 Be said that in the light of contemmunity. There is no doubt, i gotuj real
10.00
oraneous events he would subunit that
to be said on both sides, but the revela-
SOLE
DEPT.
AGENTS
IN HONGKONG AND SOUTH CHINA FOR
25.00 the story put forward by the plaintiff tions made as the result of the liquidation GARLOCK PACKING Co.,
$2,013.30
as to the origin of the fire was, to say the least, highly artificial. What were the admitted contemporaneous events The Province of Kwangtung was in a state of revolt. Farious Sghting was going on between what they called the People's Soldiers and the troops of C. 1. Coopen-Hus, C.F.
General Lung. Su fierce was the fighting 4Military Sec. and Treasurer), that they were told, even by one of the plaintiff's witness—the old man from the electric light works that the country around Kongmont was devastated. And the character of the fighting was also made clear by that same witneSN,
DEATH OF THE GRAND OLD
MAN OF INDIA.
siderable weight to the point of view of of enemy firms in Hongkong lends gón-
the Chamber of Cornmerce. The matter, of course, is not one for the interference of outsiders, but, judging from the fact. that the Chamber has re-affirmed the resolution, and that it has been acclaimed at a great public meeting, we may infer that further pressure will be put upon '
ENGINE PACKINGS AND JOINTINGS
OF EVERY DESCRIPTION.
GARLOCK
STYLE No. 900 JOINTING,
the local Government to secure the end MADE OF CANADIAN LONG FIBRE ASBESTOS.
THE BEST SHEET PACKING PRODUCED FOR HIGH PRESSURE AND SUPERHEATED
SIZEB 1/32 to 1/S.
in view. In this connection we may recall the remarks of Mr. Gershom Stewart, who, speaking on the Colonial Office Vete so far back ng July, 1915, remarked :-"! I
wished to call the old man from the the Germens from our Colonies, we should At this point Mr. Alabaster said he might suggest that having now got rid of
STEAM.
electric light works to rebut certain ant be in too great a hurry to get them "GARLOCK” SPECIAL HYDRAULIC
On June 30th, at Bombay, there geassed away quietly, full of honours, at the ripe age of 12, the great Farsi patrim and patriarch, Dadabhoy Naoroji. the Grand old man of India." Indian Papers of all shules and creed, native," Anglo-Indian and English, unite in sing. ing his praises,
After 70 years of strenuous labour for the welfare of the people, this Tribune of the Indian public retired from public life in 1908. His last message to his compatriots is still ring- Indians: I take this opportunity to ing in the ears of all right-thinking
entreat that all resort to violence should be avoided. Our grievances are many and they are just. Maintain the groggle pay? I am not sure; the Wah Hing But have not 18 companies refused to for essential reforms with unceasing en- Company have paid.
evidence. This witness was aguio put in back again. They will always intrigue the witness-box, and, replying to Mr. against us, and now that the cancer of Alabaster, alleged that the Chief of Police their presence is cut out, I hope the right called by the other side was not in hon. gentleman-Mr. Bonar Lay-will do Kongmoon on the night of the Gre; he ali he can to prevent its malignant had previously left by special train arid tentacles from spreading anew in our even invited witness to go with him, Colonies. They have abused our national By Mr. Potter He was naturally very spitality by their cold-blooded schemes interested in the case; he considered it of murdes and violated all feelings of must inequitable that the Company bad fairplay, and this deprives them of con- not paid compensation.
sideration." Since Mr. Stewart spoke these words the sentiments be expressed
are more firmly held both in Singapore and Hongkong, and it is only to be ex-
translate them into practical effect.
deavour and sacrifice, peacefully, patient- Then let me tell you that 16 com-pected that some effort should be made to ly, and perseveringly, and appen with-panies have refused to pay, including out fear or flattery to the conscience and righteousness of the British Nation.**
The Indian public in the Far East deeply regret that this and but important piece of news was not wired to them, as to the other parts of the world, either by public telegraphic service or private wire, for by this omission they were deprived of the melancholy pleasure of showing the sense of their respect for the degrased by closing their businesses and sending a message of condolence to the bereaved family, as was done in other parts of the world.-Contributed,
The sonking of rain water through
i playground nine inches. The material cracks in the playground, referred to by
two big English companies in Hongkong; they are all acting in an inequitable manner --Yes, they are.
Asked why he had called the Chief of
knew that at one time the Chief of Polic Police cushier, witness said that be
was a cashier, but he had been promoted, And you knew that all the time?-No, 1 did not; and if I do not speak the ruth I am quite willing to have my head chipped off.
said that they got a very fair idea of the Continuing his address, Mr. Potter
character of the fighting and of the trots concerned by leading articles in the Kongmood Weekly dem, which wore adopted by the old man from the electric
used was building rubble. He examined Mr. Wright, might have assisted the col.light works, subject to the reservation
SHIPPING NEWS.
HIGHER PACIFIC FREIGHTS.
The Nippon Yusen Kaisha, the Toys Kisen Kaisha, and the Osaka Shosen Kaisha have received formal sanction from the Tokio Government for the raising of regular servies freight rates on their Tros. Pacific lines.
The rise in the freight rates between Japan and the American and Canadian Ports ranges between 5.9 and 70 per cent, only safety matches und unhusked pea- nuts not being affected by this rise. The inland rates are raised between 6.7 per cent and 146 per cent. The new rates will be put into effect whenever the
parations for it.
the collapse on the day of the occurrence. Í lapse, but, m his opinion, it was not the that the fire was caused by the falling out shipping companies complete their pre- but at that time could form no upiuion main cause,
as to the cause. Subsequently he came
witness
Answering Mr. Stevenson, said he did not inspect the lower wall before he commenced work on the play ground. He told Bre. Amar to watch the wall. He knew that the crack had been in the wall for 18 months. In his
By Mr. Wakeman- He had kept an to the conclusion that the building of eye on the wall" continually. the retaining wall had been scamped." Ther base of the wall was narrower than he had expected; he expected that it would have been a couple of feet wider.
At this point witness said that the Building Authority plan which had been handed to him was not correct in this connection, and Mr. Wright explained
that it was only a sketch,
Mr. Little then said he had a corret plan, which he would put in
This was allowed.
Proceeding to answer Mr. Wood, wit. ness said the retaining wall was wider half way up than at the base.
maturationg it would decrease it.
of the bottom of an old lamp. The articles showed how bitter was the fight- ing; for they spoke of robbery and rape and so on, and, generaliy, gave very picturesque descriptions of what one would expect to happen when people's soldiers Tose in revoli against Lang's men, and the revolt was repressed by General Lung by force of arms. There was fighting no in the addition of ourth and rubblely in the Province, but alsojn Kong in the playground would tot increase the moon itself, and in the very strat where this fire took place; and they were toli. that the people, in this street were on the side of the people's army. Remember ing all these circumstances, he thought the plaintiff's story was bighly artificial It was not uncommon in a revolt of that character to have fires; also outrages of all descriptions, and not merely outrages, bus military reprisals. Yet they were asked to believe that a few hours after the bitter fighting had been proceeding in the street that aufortunate locality was visited by a huge conflagration, as the result of the bottom falling out of a barber's lamp, which destroyed over 20 houses. Counsel then submitted that it would be a serious thing for an insurance company to try and fraudulently evade its liabilities and try to suggest that a fire was caused either by riot or war,
By Mr. Lo-The lower wall any hay been brought down by stream water, if recommendation to Bro. Amar that the wall should be opened up to examine it as to its stability had not been followed. By Mr. Bowley-He admitted that the The plans made by Messrs. Leigh & retaining wall as shown on his plan look Orange for the building of the originale like a wall standing on its head, as wall, in which the retaining wall had inverted wall, but it was just as the wall been buit, were then put in and examin-appeared to him. If the lower wall had a foundation of 6ft 6ins and was 12 feet ed at some length.
high it would be quite a good wall. Also, if the retaining wall had its foundations taken down to the solid, and was three to four feet away from the lower wall, there would be no undue pressure on the
These showed that the base of the re- taining wall should have been 6 ft 6 ins., but it was found after the collapse that it was two feet aliors of eft, & ins.
Also, the foundation of the wall was not lower wall. on hard ground. It was built on brown and black earth; he had never seen any
Mr. Wright was recalled, and said that as a result of further examination he was
HONGKONG POLICE RESERVE.
BAND PRACTICES AT GR.M. Thursday, August 16th; Wednesday, August 22nd; and Tuesday, August 28th,
Saturday, the 1st September, at a p.to. The Band will play at North Point on
ORCHESTRA PRACTICES AT BPM)
Monday, August 20th, and Monday,
August 27th,
THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF MACAO VOLUNTEBI,
CORPS.
Referring to the Notice posted in the Hall of the Police Reserve Headquarters' Club, any members of the Police Reserve desirous of accept- ing the said invitation will send in his name to the Officer Commanding his respective Unit on or before Friday, the 17th instant, at 12 o'clock Offers Commanding Units are required to send in to the undersigned complete lists by 6 pm on that date:
(Sgd.) T. F. HOUGH, A.S.P. (R).
-noon.
14th August, 1917
thing like it before. Again, the wall was still of the opinion that the retaining when, as a fact, it was caused accider intelligent person, must have realised!
not built of square stone, and it would wall was a well-constructed wall. Speak tally.
have been better if the wall had been ing generally, however, it was nut con- built with square stone. In his opinion, stracted according to plan. slso, the lower wall collapsed first, and At this juncture, the enquiry was ad that was another contributory cause of journed until this afternoon.
He did not think his Lordship would believe that the IG insurance com panies concerned with the Kongmoon, fire were trying to get out of their
Tu the liabilities.
the collapse: the lower wall was not fit meantime, the jury, along with the
The Pulsne Judge-It would be very
for the purpose of supporting the retain. Ouroner, will visit the scene of the bad business. ing wall
·(Continued at foot of next column.).
collapse.
(Continurd at foot of next column.)
Mr. Pater added that a feature of plaintiff's Case War the absence of the dropped the lamp which caused the fire. unfortunate youth who was said to have
The barber, who seemed to be a fairly
that this youth would have been & very important witness, yet be had not been brought forward. On the other hand. the evidence given by the witnesses for the defener fitted in with exactly what they said happened at Kongmoon during the fighting. The evidence of Mr. Cobb sunnorted this story.
Subsequently, his Lordship gave judg ment for the defendant Company on the issue, but the points of law involved will be argued on the 54th inst,
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