1949-09-20 — Page 3

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MARINE COURT OPENS INQUIRY INTO BLAST ON BOARD CHAK SANG

A Morine Court of Inquiry opened yesterday at the Marine Office fo-invești- gate the explosion aboard the British steamer Chak Sang on September 7 with the loss of 13 livės.

Mr. George W. F. Edwards, master of the ship and

Reminders

the Chief Officer, Mr. Brian D. Johnson, gave evidence before the five-man Court, headed by Mr. Neill Garland, Director of Marine.· "All preparations were made, he knew. were of the vessel by to meet the oncoming typhoon 3.30 am. that night and the main

It was impossible to get to the en-

forepart of the ship as it was en-Recorded gines, were got ready for man- oeuvring. Up to 9.15 p.m. 1veloped in solid farne.

People in the lifeboats

were

was following the weather re-taken on board the Nowrooz and ports and holding general, dis- accommodated there for the night, cussions with the officer an except Mr. Edwards and the Chief watch about the future track Oncer who were taken to Yau- and from of the storTTI." Mr. Edwards mali Police Station. told the Court.

there sent home.

Wards WTS

по

Witness declared he had reaser. to believe that there would he way untoward happening. "As far as I know, all the cargo had ben stowed correctly,” Mr. Ed..

of the comprise Mr. Nelli Garland. (Pre- rident), Captain J.N. MacFarlane (Master Mariner), Professor J. E Driver (Professor of Chemistry,

Redman

The

Couri

Mr. Edwards said he was bare- focted and suffered injuries to his foot.

Crew Behaved Well

crav

п

The

the litsbests: carried out his orders and be- haved very well, said Mr. Ed- wards.

There were in people on board,

Hony Air. J.

Supposed to be passengers, andĮ

and

J. B. P. Stirling. RN.

The only

Chemist) they were all saved Commander missing persons were 13 members of the engine room crew who

MD.L. Strellett represents were trapped Mr. Edwards and Mr. Johnson. Asked by the Court whether he

Mr. J.L Lyan while

holds a noticed any peculiarities of the watching brief for the owners, flames, witness remarked that it the Indo-China S.N. Company. was a solid sheet of orange-redi

In his opening address, Afr. fares with black gas emanating! Garland announced that the Cours from it and a general sort c {125 convened on the recom- noise.

mendation of himself as Director

Today

Classical and Popular Music for Servicemen and Civilians at European YMCA. Kowlean, & ptik. Rotary Club of Hong Kong Lun

cheon Party. Hong Kong Hotel Roof Garder, 12.30 p.m. Speaker. Mr. D. S. Alten. Subject: "Coirs and Coin Forgeries."

Hong Kong Football Association

Council Meeting at Associa tion's offices, 5.30 pm.` Hong Kong Light Orchestra and Singers Rehearsal Main Banking Hall, Hong Kong) and Shanghai Banking Cor- pération, 6.45 p.m.

Club Open Ladies Recreation

Tennis Tournament

Coming Events

TOMORROW

Hong Kong Jockey Club Trial

Race Meeting. 5.30 pm Stanley Shield Seven-A-Side

Soccer Games

Club ground, Happy Valley, 3 p.m. Recreation Club Open Tennis Tournament

Ladies

Under examination by his European YMCA-Army Swimming

of Marine and Jardine, Mathe- counsel. winess said he was son's local agents for the owners.satisfied that the fire-fighting ap-

First to give evidence was Mr. paratus aboard the Chak Sangs W.R.K Collings, Acting Sur- was in good condition. It was last

yor of Ships.

surveyed in July. Mr. Edwards then entered the There were no restrictions on witness box and related the move-persons boarding the ship during ment of the steamer, and the dis-the loading of cargo. Tie steve- charge and the loading of cargo dore personnel were not checked from September 4 on her arrival and they had complete freedom from the North to the tragic The Chak Sang was originally night.

due to leave that day at 4 p.m.

THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1949,

Following the report that CNAC has purchased the Balley Shipyard on Ma Tau Wal Road for use as at engine"overhaul chop, equipment of the Corporation was loaded into the yard yesterday when this picture was taken. Officials of the CNAC however til deny that they had taken over Bailey's saying that the Corporation was using the grounds as a depot while The action tools and machinery of the overhaul workshop are being transported to Taiwan, followed Government's requisition of CNAC workshops at Kal Tak last month.-(Francis Wo Photo:

Five Sentenced To PAA Stop Hard Labour Terms

Five persons, including a woman, were sentenced at the Criminal Sessions yesterday to hard labour by the senior Puisne Judge, Mr. Justice. Wil- liams.

All the accused, who picaded guilty to breaches of a deportation order, admitted having records and previous convictions

Meet at the Bath, Kow- loon, at 7.30 p.m.

THURSDAY Men's Club of Hong Kong

Ng Lin, alias Li Sheung-lin, the Weekly Meeting, Hong Kong

woman, who was found in the Hotel Roof Garden, Colony after being, banished, for Speaker: Mr. T. R. Rowell life in July 1948, was given three Subject: "Education"..

years and six months, She.picad- Kowloon Rotary Club Luncheon, ed in mitigation that she had no Peninsula Hotel, 12.30 P one left in the country, therefore Speaker: Rev. Percy Smith. She returned. Subject: "Trials of a Shoe- shine Boy".

The Chak Sang tied up at Buoy That was generally known by the B-3 at about 9.15 am. ca Sep-ship's personnel. But the subse tember 4, and the general dis-quent cancellation of the de. charge of cargo started the Mas-parture was not made known to tubes, which witness believed to

ter said.

them

--Access to the "tween decks was Cargo Loaded

-not-possible-from about 5. This continued up to Sep-that day. This closure automatic- tember 6. In the interval somsally closed entry into the main packages of export cargo, in-holds.

At 8 am on September 7 the land a half hours between the vessel shifted to A 15 in the Dan-closure of the hatches and the gerous Goods Anchorage, where explosion. small quantities of chemicals and general carto were taken aboard.

Loading of cargo ceased at 47.

on September 7 and p.m.

the crew were employed in lashing down the ship for the typhoon.

The Vessel was to have sailed

4

you had left at 4 p.m. would have been out: at you sea?" Mr. Strellett asked. Mr. Edwards nodded affirmatively. After the first blow-up there were so further explosions, 'wit- ness sald

be new

Aware Of Danger

Asked whether he was zware that when red phosphorus came into contact with potassium

Two Widows Swear Death Of Husbands

in

am

Ip Kwan, a 19-year-old youth, was given three years and six months. Ip was found in the Co- lony after having been deported in. September 23, 1948.

Ip pleaded that he had returned to the Colony to see his mother, who was then ill

His mother, who was present in She Court, corroborated this added that Ip was really Hong Kong-bort.

L.Kan, alias. Mak Kan, alias Cheung Kan. was sentenced to two and a half years when he pleaded guilty to the charge as well as to many other previous convictions.

who.. pleaded

GAVE FALSE IMFORMATION

Ticket Sale

Par American Airways suspended their sales of tic- kets yesterday following the announcemelt of the devalua- tion of Sterling.

Passengers booked on Rights old paid at the yesterday

rate.

"Salts will open immedia. tely upon Government's fixa. tlon of the Hong Kong dollar rate of exchange." said. Mr. J.D. O'Donnell, local mana- ger of PAA..

CHINESE WOMAN REMANDED

boy's

at. about

Wong was not at home so the asked Wong's son to woman accompany her to look for the father. She never returned with the four-year-old boy..

day another The following Chinese woman, Wong Choi, cum plainant's sister, saw the missing boy on a fishing boat at Shauki. wan Bay with defendant.

A 26-year-old married woman in passing sentence, Mr. was charged at Kowloos- yester- Williams-warned accused that day with unlawful Transfers of he would be given the maxi-possession of person for a valu mum penalty if he repeated the able consideration offence.

Chan Shui-mui was also Three and a half years hard, charged with harbouring a per- The Chief Justice, Sie Leslie cluding chemicals, were loaded Witness agreed with his coun

the Supreme Court labour was the term imposed on sen transferred for a valuable chlorate it would form an ex- Gibson, at sel that it was approximately five on the ship.

plosion, witness answered that yesterday granted applications by Tam Kal alias Tsang Kai for consideration

It two. widows for leave to swear returning to the Colony after

was alleged that be was

having been deported in August 3 pm, on September 14, a Chinese Among the other categories of the death of their husbands,

1949.

woman not in custody visited The deceased, who were mem

Similar punishment was meted complainant, Wong Tat, at Ngu cargo were 500 kilogrammes of potassium bichromate stared in bers of the Hong Kong branch out to Chan Lat

Chi Wan. Labour Associa– i guilty to having been found in the foreward end of No. 1 'tween of the Hainan

organisation attached Hong Kong after being banished deck on the port side. The barrel tion--an

and to the Japanese Navy-died in in March 1949 for life. examined thoroughly were there

any Hainan Island during the war. was no leakage or

Mr. A. Hooton, Crown Counsel, demege.

The applicants, Chan Wa Kit-

prosecuted. both There were also 459 bags of tsan and Lau Sin-win, were "There was a movement of the at pm on that day but owing to the storm the departure was ship after the explosion, said Mr. sulphur powder of 50,412 lbs., in represented by Mr. Leo d'Almada, Edwards in reply to the Court's the No. 3 lewer hold; 200 drums C, instructed by Mr. F. C. Woo cancelled.

The first application was of transformer oil; 122 drums of "All preparations

were made query whether the ship was

potassium chlorate of 23,400 lbs respect of Chan Kwok-kwong, to meet the typhoon, and the shaking about.

Reclamation of 619 As Mr. Edwards stepped out of in the No. 2 tween deck on the salesman main engines were got ready for manoeuvring Up to about 9.15 the witness box, Mr, Lynn asked forward end; 18 cases of shellac Street. His widow filed an

A fine of $100 or four weeks Am. I was following the weather the Court to put on, record the in the No. 3 tween deck: 115 davit that during the Japanese reports and holding general dis-ames of the personnel who were drums of sodium hydro sulphite, occupation, her husband foined

was imposed by Mr. A. D. cussions with the officer of the nannter the lifeboat from the 34 drums of dinitrochlorbenzene; the organisation in question and

Scholes at Central yesterday on watch about the future track of Nowrooz to rescue to Chak Sang four drums of caustic soda and went to Hainan.

13 barrels of paraffin wax. After the war she was inform Lam Kai for giving false in- the storm,

Mr. Edwards de- trew,

ed of the death of her husband | formation to the police. Fitness The letter sent

to the

QYDELS CÓ

Inspector H. B. Dewar told the "I had no reason to believe that the ill-fated ship at the request there were 52 bays of zinc oxide on Hainan of malaria in June

court that at 9.49 p.m. on Sepa toward happening As far as lowing names. R Brock, chief tween, deck.

lated to a This was not given in the cn Chan Kwok-man, formerly of 69 report.

canvas-bed maker, Central Police Station to make a know, all the carzo had been officer, R. McNamara, second

Defendent was working stowed correctly," he said. officer; C. Jones, third officer, Lai Rgement list nor in the cargo

for a

a Chinese roman and had In reply to a question from the Kuen, fourth engineer, Kwok supervisor records," Mr. Johnson Po Kong Road, Kowloon His

widow, in her affidavit stated that quarrel with the woman. Court Mr. Edwards said he had Kun, seaman; Kong Le, seaman: said.

Defendant

left could Chan also joined the Hainan La-

this jacket on the | detailed knowledge of the Cheung Koon tat, seaman, and

Ng Yong, fitter.

not explain the presence of the bour Association. She was even pavement and went away. The f

tually informed by a fellow work woman took the jacket to the zire, exide. The Court adjourned proceed-man of deceased's after the war Upper Police Station ings to. 7.30 am: today.

that her husband had died. Before the Court retired MF in the lifebeati andel am,cer Lynn remarked that the owners tainly proud of them.” Mr. Joh Ead not completed the own Madsen, miastër or the Now-vestigation and would like to reoz," taide în the jetter.

have an adjournment for a fort- The Chief the box, and gave corroborative evidence relative to the gener

claredi

Cn mentoned

Wong Chol informed the police who arrested-deferidant. After questioning defendant, . police learnt that defendant had bought the boy

from an unidentified Chinese woman for $30.

Defendant said that her hus- band left her a few days ago on fishing trip in Chinese waters She was remanded three days.

there was going to be any un-of the latter mentioned, the fol- 5,150 lbs., stored in the No, 211942. rond application was re-tember 17 defendant went to the and will not be back for a month. :

no

cargo on

5.15 p.m. I turned in, continued Mr. Edwards. "The next thing. I knew was that. I was on the deck of my cabin, pushing away debris and various other - things which had fallen on me

"When I came to my senses. I realised that something awful had I managed to crab happese out of my cabin.

Proud Of Them.

“These_mew jwper-the-eight

Witness declared he

Oficer then entered pearland asserted that the

The

European Cautioned

M

William Riddell, aged 24, fire- Court preferred to carry on as man on-board mv.) "Arriving on the bridge. I saw movement of the Chak Sang on soon as possible while the in- was charged before Mr. James Trevelyan, the whole foredeck adame, and 1¦ her arrival. .

client is still fresh in the minds Wicks at Kowloon yesterday with. realised that the only thing to do

"The

cargo was. mainly dry. of the witnesses. was to get the crew off the vessel seafood and distributed all over that, there would be altogether 29

He mentioned demanding money with menaces.

and wilfully damaging a regis

as soon as possible,

the three holds

"I went on the boat deck and decks witness related

told 'varibes ziembuis of the cree

to abandon ship."

M

Risk Of Explosion

and the tween witlesses. They weighed about 320 incd- curement tone. For

Mr. Johnson, saldu hé, receive?

an engagement ist from the

¿

Gold Bars, Confiscated

Defendant claimed that there

Traffic Case Concluded

was $54.00 in the jacket. Actual-The long drawn out case in ly there was only $4.03.

which Hong Chuen, aged 30)

The police had wasted a lot auto-mechanic, was charged with due care and of time making enquiries, he driving without said

It's A Lovers' Quarrel

"It is a lovers quarrel tration book, the property of the marked Inspector H. B. Dewar Red Lion Hotel

He pleaded guilty and was at Central yesterday when he fined $50 for demanding money prosecuted Ho Kam, aged 32 cautioned on the other for stealing $40 and five mace charges.

Metal" of gold from a wash amah, He was arrested by the police Kan King, aged 25.

and

NINE MONTHS FOR

BREACH OF

caution and with failing to pro- duce his licence when asked by Inspector Dewar, was concluded before Mr. Hin-shing Lo at Cen- tral yesterday.

Defendant's

-counter-summons against Inspector Dewar for as saur was dismissed by the court when Mr. Lo in his summoning up said that Inspector Dewar was justified in arresting; defendant and that he had not exceeded his duty as a police officer.

Defendant was discharged on

the charge of driving without due care and was cautioned 'on' the charge of failing to produce his licence

defendant. Inspector Dewar con-

UNEMPLOYED REMANDED

Mr. Edwards, said that in his agents, in which he saw a variety opinion it was useless to attempt of cargo. A covering letter-reach- fire-fighting owing to the risked him ca- September. 5. Witness Two bars of gold weighing on Saturday night at the Red Defendant, a cook residing at of another explosion,

Lion Hotel after. It was stated, 111 Robinson Road, went to can marked the storage of the re-about 20 tasis were ordered by he had demanded with menaces painant's address at 76 Macdon Mr. A. J. Clifford was for the The ship had four lifeboats, shective carro on the

be engagement Mr. James Wicks at Kowloon

*** Thomas Kwong, nell Road, ground floor. $80 from Mra * three of which, got away success-list

fully, while the fourth was badly "By the moning of September when Lo Ga-ya, woman, aged two pages from the hotel sale prosecution salt

yesterday to be confiscated the hotel proprietor, and also tore They were sweethearts, the ducted his own case.

sait Complainant had and was

rendered use- 6.1 was satisfod, that all the in- 30, charged, with importing registration, book when the hotel a new boy friend and defendant

poft cargo had been discharged As the last lifeboat was being This was reported so by the cargo the gold, failed to be present in proprietor refused to sell him a became Jealous, Defendant visit

ed the amahon drink after hours.

19 and September filled, a lifeboat from the supervisor, Mr. Johnson de the court,

stayed in her

When the zoom. The woman's bail of 5320" was Nowrooz came alongside, and cared.

Ampuh left fase, roórn defetidani after two or three attempts The holds were cleaned up ac-also crdered by Mr. Wicks

be estreated.

[searched the place and stole $40 managed to lake of the last sur cording to routine t

The gold was discovered

and Ave-mace of gold The gold Chong Kam-Long aged 27 There was a - certain amount Jaan |

and money were recovered,

unemployed, was charged at the Chief of dust, broken bamboo and grit, cealed in a cloth tied around de- fendant's froutine

Jealousy on the part of Kowloon yesterday with, pos- known people on board. Before fish cargo, G.

steal Complainant inade a repon sessing arms and ammunition leaving the Chief Officer went The Court then

He was further charged with WAY to the police and defendant ad- Sentence of nine month fimmitted the theft amidships to gather what cargo visit the wreck

armed robbery. papers he could and

"The "prosecution alleged that At the resumption of the aftere Woman Revenue Offer whether Kam, themployed Chinese wo

prisonment was imposed on Li

MI A D. Scholes give defra defendant, armed with a revolver, *The lifeboat was the first on noon session, wings are a list she had anything to declare, De-tuan, by 34 Hin-shing. Lo et ant the obiich of a fine of $50 had robbed Sub-Inspector Yeung the scene,

consider that if of the types of cargo aboard, and tendant said no and on search-| Central gesture of a deporte

or two week hard labour. day morning on a get a set a very good example of identified their storage portions, ing the cold valued at about charge of courage and seamanship in life which are marked on-s-plan. $6,000, was discovered en fe tion order. 201 saving,” said Mr. Edwards who. Included in the cargo were added that the wind and, sea after wooden cases-of-

*-red phosphibrize the explosion increased extraor of 110 lbs cach, which were dingrily and handling lifeboats stored in the starboard side of

dificult per the ert decisi was extremely

282 Jars of acetic

vivorwards said that th Officer and himself were the last possibily, arising from the cutle leans body using as outim DEPORTATION ORDER defendant that caused him to

and. I

then adjourned

to

at about 5 pm on Satur Talpeh at al

Defendant was asked by

M. Edwards said it was his acid of 1,500, 16, ci atid" with a thoughts; and the thought of opss weight of 19.000 lbs everybody, that the ship

Sub-Inspector Chan sald that on September 9. Li, was found

REMANDED

of a revolver loaded with six watch on

rounds 1

Street actr

He was further long.

alleged to have GOLD FOUND without lawful authority or ex- Brought before Sir Hin-shing committed the robbery with an-

cuse after the date fixed for her Lo at Central Magistracy yester other man not in custody. During a routing "search on deportation from Hong Kong for day dh a charge of larceny 1pom Defendant was alleged to have board the as. Van Heutsz before life97

the person of watch belonging hidden one hillside on the main ourpure for Singapore yes I was stated that defendant to Chief Petty Oncer R. Shields, baila'a 38 Webley Scott revolver

Hêytaus Ofiderá discover

wym, Tawchung. With six rounds of ammunition.

ye Chong was remanded three days

In police custody,

Blow up completely at any forward midship tom od No. 2 950 Meis of gold hidden in the em

"All the crew, ny/lex es, lower hold end rubber tyres and, engine room,

"manded

"SHIELD"

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