No. 857
Sir,
53969/36
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG,
26th November, 1938.
I have the honour to address you on the subject
of the introduction of legislation in this Colony to
provide for the regulation and control of commercial
refrigerating plants.
2.
In June of this year a serious accident which
caused the deaths of three Chinese coolies occurred on
the premises of a Chinese owned cold storage company.
Evidence given at the inquest established the fact that
the accident was due to the bursting of a condenser
filled with ammonia gas and that the explosion was almost
certainly the result of undue pressure caused by lack
of clearance in the compressor accentuated by a shortage
of cooling water and consequent inadequate condensation
of the compressed ammonia gas.
3.
It was also established that the plant, which
had been installed only ten days before the accident had been purchased second-hand by the company several
years before for use in Macau. The condenser, however, had been manufactured locally by a Chinese engineering
shop and installed by a Chinese fitter attached to this
shop. The machinery, with the exception of the condenser
which had been badly welded, was in workable condition but was not properly adjusted and supervision of the
running of the plant was left to two Chinese fitters
employed by the company.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.,
&c., &c., &c.