Fire Officer's Evidence In Wing On Godown Inquiry
SAYS INSPECTIONS MUST GO BY PRIORITY
Mr
Evidence on the priority of inspections was given by Divisional Officer H. Tiplady, of the Fire Brigade, at the resumed hearing of the Wing On Company Godown fire before the Commission of Inquiry at the Supreme Court this morning. Justice Reynolds is Chairman and silting with him as members are the Hon. N. O. C. Marsh, Messrs A. E. Lissaman, Kwok Chan and Lo Min-nung with Mr T. D. Sorby as Secretary.
Mr Tiplady also testified on the small fire which occurred two nights before the major conflagration September 22.
Mr Evans Did It not indicate to you, that the caustic Sodn that w there was of a highly inflammable maiore?—No.
In reply to Mr D. B. Evans, who! is boking a watching brief in the interests of the Fire Insurance As
cantion of Hongkong, Mr Tiplucky NORI
that. in
thei Did opinion, Ponde's equipment on that morning was adequate to cope with the fire, and they could not have done a purity thing else. More engines would only Je cluttered up the appliances,
kerosene Kodown
-Witness added that the Fire Bri- ade carried out about 250 insper- is a mouth and they had to live to the major jobs, On 31 September 21 he (witness) bad
inspection which he considered was far more Impor- Mr D. A. I. Wright, instructed 25 tant that the Wing On Gorlown. Mr Y. K. Kan, is holding a watching
Replying further, witness said that briel for the Wing On Company. a high pressure main was available
In his evidenc, Mr Tiplidy told
a distance of In Queen's Road t the Commission that it was the duty
This was brought fire tout 200 yards. of the senior officer at a
into play belwen 10 and 11 o'clock attend to rescue work first and
on the morning of the big fre. then to combat the flames. For a
'ressure from hydrants depended - ways on the size of
mah. Three hydrants in the near vicinity
long perind the godowns below the Royal Interocean Line building were in danger but they managed to save
the premises.
RESCUE WORK
Mr Tidady described the rescue work which he said was completed within 15 or 20 minutes of his arrival there. Replying to the Chairman, witness said that he felt that under
And
the
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPE, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1048.
Pilloried Before Execution
AP
An executioner places an Indonesian in a pillory in Madiun. Republic of Java, shortly before, the Indonesian was beheaded as a Communist terrorist, according to a Madiun, a Com- Republican government photographer.
munist stronghold, was captured by the Republicans in recent fighting. According to a governnient spokesman a number of Communists have been behended and shot for looting and murder.-AP Picture.
were brought into use imingdiately BRIDGE HOUse war crimes TRIAL on arrival of the Bald.
appliances, he
Mr. Evans: In your own opinion, was the equipment available to you that morning adequate for the tire?
-Yes. We could not have done any- thing else. More appliances would have cluttered the place up.
Mr C. W. Brand, Deputy Chief oneer, who was. Acting Chief Officer at the time of the fire, next described the gave evidence and
of scene operations at confingration.
at the
the
Cross-Examination
Of Yoshida
Cross-examination by the Prosecutor. Major Peter Clagre. RA. of the second accused, Sgt Yoshida Bunzo. in the Bridge House case, continued before the Crimes Court at Lyemun Barracks this morning.
Yoshida, who s
♫
the conditions then prevailing he felt justified in doing the rescue work personally,
thought it necessary in find out conditions on the upper floors and roof
ing necessary to supervise the lowering
EXTRAORDINARY FIRE on the of any people who were roof," he said. "At that time there Mr Brand said the fire was really was no other offleer avaliable to do an extraordinary one and he never
conducting Dis the job."
espected there were 30 tons of 8lm
He had ave awn defence, maintained he had ne Answering further questions, scrap in the godown.
The knowledge of the persons named in witness said that the wind became casualties among his Bremen.
him. Messrs very strong taler in the morning.ambulance service was adequate and the charge against
he did not notice any delay in the William Hut.on, J. M. Watson and In Connaught Rond the road was
to hospital.
Jast-named Hans Rechlin the
6:1- up and rendered conditions dimeuit. i removal of the injured
four German national, with whose Visibility was very poor and it was The Fire Brigade used their
some fire- ambulancer in addition to those treatment he was alleged to have At one stake raluing.
Hospital. the been concerned. men were working in water up to from Queen Mary
the Hospital and
He claimed he had
never carried Kwong Wah the waist.
he
suspects. out any in errogation of Wah Hospital. When Tung
the struck although he was in charge of arrived him impressively that the area all investigation of German and Italian round had been effectively cleared affairs in Shanghai while attache to the Weg ern District Gendur by the Police.
merie nt $4 Jessileid Road
On trial with Yoshida is Lt-Gen. Kinoshita Eitchi, commanding ofte of the Shanghai Gendarmerie tween July 1942 and November 1944.
Mr Tiplady added that the follow- ing day he entered the cockloft of Insp. Shaw. or No 2 godown with the Police. was very well con- structed with thick concrete and was pretty well covered in. They found a safe that was very little damaged and quite a number of desks badly scorched. Loose papers were des- troyed. Many books were recovered by Insp. Shaw. There was rather: high lack of ashes in one and-witness said that -be-could-not state whe her they were books or proper.
It corner
PRIORITY INSPECTIONS The Chairman: Do you remember
a smalt are on the night of Septem- ber 2017
that
an
over
the scene,
it
Questioned on the small tire which periarred two days previous to the Wing On fee. Mr Brand said he
sked Mr Tiplady to investigate s SOO!
tline as possibly. At that esustic soda was under same sus- picion because it had been stored. where
two rather large Ares bad occurred; Caustic soda ·was- ·in Category & of dangerous goods, not from the inflammable point of view, but from Its corrosive properties. had never been regarded as a fire risk.
Tele
DENIES RIFLE INCIDENT Reviving 10 Yoshida said he had foil ev
he new attent *3211
Church Okays
Use Of The
Atom Bomb
Snoring A Serious Matter
Dr. Wants Intensive Research
London, Nov. 10.-Dr lan G. Robin believes that science does not take the problem of anoring seriously enough even though, he reported to the Royal Society of Medicine, it may ruin a happy marriage.
5 lawn that he continued, "the nfortunate ndult, sufferers have to bar with it in fear of ridicule" bed if the live in some parts of Die Uniest States, may find them-
even in the divorce courts.
to mention, he added. The fronted relations un associates"
le to austat sleepless nights thing to "vibrations in the soft calule and posterior faucal pallars," Pete the technical description for
noring
Dr Robin propores that western
lear Lerience fullow the
of
Japanese and do some Intensive recerch on the subject. In Japan. where the wills are literally paper thin our snorer can ruin the sleep of everybody in a wide ratitis, 50 snoring hing lot more urgency there than the thickwalled homes of the west,
CAUSE OF SNORING Showing may he condition of elvilization according 10 experts
One M ley Dr Robin. consulted them said he had never heart of a wild wolf snoring, for example, but that many domestic breeds of dogs And descended from wolves shore, that most sophisticated of dogs, the pekingere, fréquently snores.
A chimpanzee was once heard to
mmpanzer Shore white under anaesthetic.
Dr Robin says the apparent major Causes of snoring include loss of musele lane In the throat. nasal obstructions, falt in adrenal secretion, obesity, advancing age and mouth breathing amang nihers.
He is doubtful of modern psycho- Injgical theories that it has something to do with contentment and
that snorers occasionally stop the babit while on vacation.
Until science finds a specific cure these are the most usual treatments, Dr Robin said:
Amputation of the uvula (you can into a mirror open- mouthed) which "very rarely gives relief but may modify the de- much Kree and pitch of the snore."
Removal or prevention of throat obstruction by operation or even by the simple process of taking nose
drons before sleep.
CHANGE HEAD POSITIÓN Changing position of the head to falling back. prevent the tongue "Many persons snore only when on their backs and on some occasions an uncomfortable cotton reel sewn into the back of the pyjamas is cffl- cacious."
London, Nov. 10. The Church of England' Assembly
Injection of a hardening solution approved on Wednesday the use of atom bombs as a "defensive into parts of the throat to step up the tone. Swallowing, breathing necessity" against an aggressor.
Only three delegates ont of more and phonetic exercises to alter the
the tongue and has 400 present voted against this position of
-nd whic was
presented in a palate.
mouth chort by n special commission of
sleep
a strip of ite church,
plaster across the corner De Garbelt. Archlilshop of York mouth.
Keeping
with
closed
soft
during adhesive
of the
id: "the bomb would almost ser- Since science can't afford to be What he had related he ovathearttally be used if another war brok, gollant, Dr Rebin adds this com from the prestisa
of the ceil munnds. E henet Jolles kad kann find with ranna konquer he had become insane and was violent to སྙུ༽༥--rpt°sཐ -
He denied having ever told Hutton
out. The temptation will be very ment: "Women great for the weaker state which be us numerous possesses the bomb to use it a few Press.
hours before its possible enemy."
"If possession of the bomb is a
never use It."
The Assembly ruling body on most
church matters is made up of three houses the bishops. the generat clergy and Iny members,
At Brand said before the re, he had no knowledge that cinemato- Witness: The day before the out-graph ilm was stored in the godown. break of the big fire it was reported Had he known, he would have asked
to "ghul "o" or th ́t he ever enter- | deterrent to war we have no right to me. No further nction
is removal to the dangerous goods ed his cell, harrowed rifle from to say was
beforehand that, we shall Inken
clay', that
on anchorage In a lighter or If the September
n guard and beaten Button with it. zł.
Inspections
ຍາດໄດ້ quantity were
enough, to the
He declared it was against reguin-} are carried out according to priority dangerous goods vaults. The Fire
tions to take a rifle from a guard. and caustic soda at that time was Brigade officers were not empowered considered to be inflammable under the ordinance to seize Aims and he would have been fired at
had he donc 50. substance only from the point of us the
of us they would dangerous goods,
Yoshion admitled that the deten- view of corrosive effect. There- If their requests for Ita removal .fore it was
lett
time 4:231
The Commission's report calleri were not complied with, they would tion cells were rather unclean, ind could be found to inspect the pre-
for international control of the bomb prosecute and the storer would be that he himself would not like to
in one. He osscried. kept I could not be done on that liable to fine of $500 for mises.
every
insidy and blamed Russia for blocking con- conditions. day. Mr Wilkie Lum was instructed day that the films are not removed. however,
DS bnd been trol up to now. to attend the Fire Bridage office in
the
prosecution the morning to give particulars. We No. 2 Godown was located in the witnesses. The prisoners were givzu It approved dropping the bomb usually give time for these people ground, first and second floors when the same meals as were issued to on military targels but said it should
He did not attend. to attend,
he saw it. Most of the groundfloor members of the Japanese Army, and not be used "as a means of attack Replying to Mr Wright, Mr windows were blocked with mor- were also supplied with blankets. upon objectives in inhabited cities" Tipindy said that Wong Wai-chol, | chandise, and there were only two
Hiroshima and as it was against the officer in charge of the
Nugaraki.Associated Press. ap- I windows in Connaught Road, where pliance, asked Mr Lum to attend, jets could be put in. There were In inspection work, if they had to no keys so that the door had to be
snld witness, always asked dimcult. Brigode the people in charge to attend the following morning to make arrange- ments for the opening of the pre-
Mr Brand said the fire
in
y be
that were no as bad painted by the
KCC POPPY DAY
gel info the godown, the Fire broken down, which Was most FUND DANCE
ABSOLUTELY ADEQUATE
books
Postponed from last week, the In answer to Mr Wright, witness KCC annual Poppy Day fund dance mises. Wong had left instructions godowns, not in the Fire Brigade at the clubhouse, beginning t
said he was not empowered to inspect will be held this coming Saturday Lor Lum to attend.
It is honed n record crowd will Me Wright: Do you know if Wong as unless these were suspected of pm, and continuing until 2 nm. Wal-cho! actually did this?-He storing goods. In certain circumi-
stances the Fire Brigade might be patronise this function for such always does this. He told me not invited to Inspect certain godowns banked at the club.
dererving
can cause, Tables
be morning that he had left Instructions invited
and make suggestions, The Wing The Embassy Sextet will be are- for the mangan,
On godown. was not in the Fire
to provide sint
the mualc, and SUMMONSES TAKEN OUT
novelties will be Introduced during You any lont Wong made a report! to you, the following morning. What hapened then? Did you take any further steps?-1 took steps after the fire and summonses were taken out against the people concerned. If it had been a highly inflammable substance action would have been taken immediately. Caustic soda is We had actually in category with regard to his matter and we were laid that caustic sodo
Brigade books.
Witness told Mr Evans that
that the the evening. last embers were out about eight to nine days later, but the last fet was taken away a week after the fire.
Chiang Asks H.K.
Fleet Building Programme
London. Nov. 10-The future of the light Fleet carriers Leviathan, Powerful and arcules and the cruiser, Defence was discussed in the Lords today.
Earl
*KINGS ★
GRAND · OPENING
TO-DAY
AT 2.30, 5.00, 7.15 AND 9.30 P.M.
YUNG HWA MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRIES, LTD, presents
"SORROWS of the
FORBIDDEN CITY"
Starring CHOU HSUAN " SHU SHIH • T'ANG JO-CHING
Dialogue in Mandarin with English Sub-Titles
THE MOST COLOURFUL EPISODES IN THE CHING DYNASTY NOW BROUGHT TO THE SCREEN FOR THE' FIRST TIME IN A SPECTACULAR STORY,
ALHAMBRA THEATRE
TO-DAY ONLY AT 2.30, 5.15, 7.15 & 9.15 P.M.
Johnny WEISSMULLER
Mariens O'SULLIVAN
TARZAN MATE
AND HIS
ау
sharers appear to men."United
OPENS TO-MORROW!
Ruhr Industries
SHOWING
TO-DAY
For Germans
(Continued from: Page 1) Schedules of firms to be subjected of the and decartelisation.
Zone Arms now to be sequestrated, were attached to the
to
American
lawa.
The formation of the new Arms and the appointment of the German trustees will follow by implement- ing the regulations.
The new plan is plainly inspired by
desire of the the overriding British and American authorities to And a quick Increase In German production.
Within this framework, the plan bears the mark of three principal. policy-making considerations:
1. The conviction of both occupy- ing powers that German miners and steel workers will, in the words of General Sir Brian Robertson, "work best if they know they are working for Germany."-
direct
*TRUSTEESHIP
2. British insistence on a form of Bratty wanted to know trusteeship which would leave the whether there was any alteration in door open to public ownership i the building programme pubishe desired the German people and in the Navy Estimates regarding har the return of the old owners
Dssociated wit the Nazi regime. light Fleet carriers, and cruisers, Mr Evans Are you absolutely For Coreals, Report Viscount Hall, First Lord of the 3-American pressure for a more satisfied that the equipment and per-
'A report was current in Hongkong Admiralty, assured him that there the steel Industry, and for a different
association with the control sonnel of the Fire Brigade is adt- :quate?
break-up. Into units which, while preserving the principle of decaricl- Ilsation, would allow the restoration of the advantager of technical in- tegration of successive production stages which in many cases were destroved by "Operation Severance." -Reuter.
but
any
this mornine that Generalissimo Mr Brand: Not only adequate, Chane Kai-shek had personally ap contacted, the Government Chemlat Brigade in the world, comparable to
Fire Dealed to the Hongkong Government for emergency supplies of rice and Mr Evans:
Bour. And you stil Say that although we now
No official confirmation could be know that be placed under entegory. 5.
Witness added that a number of some $2,000,000 worth of goods went obtained, but it was stated that an
announcement would to whistle clean up in the No. 2 godown? later this afternoon. sunmónsca azith regard
would
la had been taken out before the Yer fire and they were dealt with, as wymings: offences with fines of that £30. LE SABANG
bo released
had been no programme,
alteration in
the
Earl Beatty then asked if con- tracts on four ships had not been suspended and, if not, when they were likely to be finished.:
¡French protest against Ruhr
AN M-G-M PICTURE
“ROAD TO RIO ”
AT 2.30, 5.20,
MAJESTIC 7.20 & 2.20 PM.
Behind the
cloak of his greatness, he turtured 'n hidden
madness, which, when fanned:
by the dames of genius,
turned his greatest triumph
into his greatest win 1,
KANIN PRODUCTIONS, P
Ronald Colman
going NEW greatness to the Screen in
A DOUBLE LIFE
SIGNE HASSO EDMOND O'BRIEN
NEXT CHANGE
TRUMAN-STALIN MEETING
(Continued from Pare 1)
is peaco
for
the
: "THE MIRACLE OF THE BELLS"
Radio Hongkong
ICHT.
6, Programme Summary: 401, Light Mr Coma zaid, he sent this cable Variety: 630, La Demi-Heure Francsso 1Яtudio 7. World and 11ome News to Premier Stalin at the Kremlin:
(London Relay); 7.15, fteminiscences of Viscount Hall said that while it
"President Truman has stated Famous Composers played by Reginajā might be that some constructional
both before and after his election Toort on the Organ: 70, "Development of Jaze" Presented by hill Burn work on ships which are launched
that the one big mission of his studio; 8. "From the Editorial Mc Evans You understand
Administration is suspended, work is proceeding plan. See Page 0.)
(London Relay): 10, University Prom
"Social the
Ma insurance
ramme:
02 Science" companies
of preparation
world. am not windows and there was an opening both in regard to
"Anthropology By Professor Carri are. vitally concerned?-1
4 and
considerable
"In the light of that declaration, Tarde (BBC) 30 "Concerto Viola
Concerto
Trederick Mr. Even referring to the small sure that it is vital to them or they at the back of the No. 5 godown machinery
Pig Attacks Farmer fire, asked witness that, having been, would
would you be willing to meet with more precau which allowed the flames from No. amount of research work was going have taken
to tenvel in concentrated hent, on
the President of the United Statesdale (Viola) with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. IABCTS): 8.55, **Phíí., the tald that le contents of the drum lions.
He added, that if it had been in-
Albergarin Dos Mr Evans: They rely on you? shatter the windows and penetrate was caustic Bɔdji, was that not sum-
Doze. Portugal, at some point agreeable to all parties rules" Fongs of Percy French sung by intention that the substance They do not. In fact they ignore us the floor The No. 2. godown was tended that tour ships should be November 10,Farmer Jore Simper concerned for a discussion without; dearte. Begge with the Irish Rythm
In such matters. If they did they involved simost immediately after scrapped long before now. It has in front of his house when a forge alinin the ideal?"
scrapped
they would have been De Melo was dozing in an armchair prejudice of the ways and incans in Orchestra BCTS) 2.15. Book Review by Alleen Dekker (Studio); 9.30, "The Singing Third Play from Northern would enoulro whether the place is the No. 5 godown
Mr Brand deci red the seat of the intention of the Government that pig attacked him. A neighbour beat
'Mr CoMn cald thai his enblo' was Ireland by Joseph Tomelly (unces);
the properly licensed.
anroval of the Radio News Reel (London Relay); Asked why tho No. 2 godown the fire to be whare the film was one time the four ships would be the pig off with a weeding hook sent with
Itzelt com stored in drums
come part of the Royal Navy, but but Senor de Mela was seriously in- editors of the Times Herald., Weather Report: 30.16, Thursday Berenacte": 10,45,- Musle for Dancing? want up on burned
wian he could not say-touter, | Jured.--Associated Press,
Router.
11.15, Weather Report and Close down, pletely, Me Brand said it had glass
was highly/inflammablet
wine replied that they were only taking the word of a bystander and ho action; could be’taken until further evidence had been obtain-
The enquiry proceedlig
11.5.
Page 5Page 6