CO129-316 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [1-4] — Page 391

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of No. 56, First Street, where one man was killed. The property

was an old one, and the names of the Architects and Contractors

were unknown. Rebuilding, however, had been in progress in

comection with the adjoining houses, and the jury found the

Contractor for this work guilty of manslaughter, he having

neglected to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of the persons residing in 56, Third Street. A rider was added to the effect that in the opinion of the jury the Government

had also neglected its duty, but the jury explained afterwards

to the Acting Crown Solicitor, before whom the enquiry was made,

that in delivering this opinion they meant that the Staff employed by the Government for the inspection of buildings was

insufficient. The Contractor was tried at the Criminal Sessions,

but acquitted. The special jury added that the supervision

at present exercised by the Public Works Department over the

demolition, erection and alteration of buildings is insuffici-

ent".

4.

On the 2nd. August occurred the collapses

of 10 and 12 Second Street. They were no doubt immediately

due to the violence of a typhoon which took place on that

and the preceding day. Four persons were killed and six

injured. Both houses were comparatively old, but an additional

storey had been added to No. 10 in the beginning of 1901, by

Messrs. Denison and Ram, and the fall of this appears to have

caused the collapse. The jury found a verdict that the

Chinese Contractors were guilty of criminal negligence in the

rebuilding of No. 10. At the Criminal Sessions, however, both

prisoners were acquitted, as it was not conclusively proved

that