1918-03-23 — Page 3

Page

RACECOURSE DISASTER.

THE GOLF CLUB TURF. QUESTION OF UPRIGHTS AGAIN.

THE

Mr. Bowley: How long have you been in Hongkong ?-Twenty-seven years.

HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, MARCH 33RD, 1918.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS OS 1113 HONOUR THE CHIEF JUSTICE (21R

WILLIAM BEES DAVIES, E.C.).1

Have you seen matsheds with uprights sunk, three feet into the ground-Yes, and if I was supervising scaffolding IUTTERING A FORGED BANKNOTE. The enquiry into the racecourse disaster should wart the uprights down that dis was continued at the Magistracy yestertance in soft ground. .day.

The Coroner asked Mr. Bowley if the contractors Sze Hop could provide the Court with a model of shods 8 and The evidenco was that shed & bild a floor which extended throughout No. 9, and, also, there was the question as to the mothed by which the shed was provided with a gangway. If the model could show the floors and show that bridge er gangway he would be very much obliged.

Mr. Bowley agreed to have the model

-constructed.

THE GOLF CLUB TURF Mr. E. J. Grist said in 1911 he was a mem. ber of the Committee of the Royal Heng kong Golf Club. He wished to make it quite clear that in 1911 the Golf Club Committee approached the P.WD with a view to preserving the greens over which these matshed were built, and in consequence of the representations of the Committee the Government made certain regulations.

The Coroner: Did the Committee make any suggestions as to the construction of the sheds The Committee, I believe, causeway made a suggestion that a

Cheung Chung was charged with utter- The Coroner: The site of these matshedsing a forged bank note; also with being

in possession of forged bank-notes. was soft ground?--Yes.

The "Attorney-General (Hon. Mr. J. H. Kemp, C.B.E.) conducted the prosecu

Mr. Bowley Did you notice that the ground was as hard as iron at the time of the races?-I did not. I do not sco how it could be if it is turf ground. If it is turf ground it must be soft, because if there is not a certain amount of earth the turf will not grow. I should call

If the all such ground soft ground. uprights had been put into the ground to any extent at all it would have pre vented a collapse of this sort. It was not an ordinary collapse of a floor, but was due, in my opinion, to the movement at the base of the uprights.

If the uprights are connected by cross sleepers at the base going in opposite directions would not that provent the uprights moving -It is a preventive, but not a sufficient one for a weight which is constantly shifting. The lashing can become loose Witness added that be con- sidered it was a risky method of con structing matshedsTM to have floors at different levels in adjoining sheds.

The Coroner: Do you believe it is safe

tion.

The following were, ompanelled to try the cost-Mesra N. 8. Brown (fore man), M. A. Razack, A. G. Howlett, Ja M, Wong, P. V: HI. Butelly, T. Arnott, and W. L. Wenser.

INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS AND SHIPBUILDERS OF HONGKONG.

ANNUAL REPORT.

The report of the Committee of Manage ment for the year ending 31st December, 1917, states that the total number of members at that date was 341 This

and others exempt from paying subscrip- includes to members on the absent list

the year 17 members resigned, 50 new members were elected, and 39 were written

INTIMATIONS

LANE, CRAWFORD

ESTABLISHED

1850.

AND COMPANY.

TELEPHONE

1741.

tions through being disengaged. During GENTLEMENS COMPLETE OUTFITTERS.

I. & R. MORLEY'S

WHITE AND NATURAL SUMMER LLAMA

The Balance Sheet for the your shows a profit of $1,956.50 as against 82, 736.21 The Attorney-General, said the charge for the previous year. Although a con- was that the prisoner changed a ta nute siderable saving has been affected in the to appear like a 8100 note. The evidence expenditure, which shows a decrease of was that on February 18th prisoner went $1,145.49 from the preceding year, the to a beef stall in the Central Market and hig drop in income, viz., $1,925.20, has asked the accountant of the shop to nullified this advantage and reduced the change the note. This was done, and it 1917 profits by $779.71.

Entrance Fees and Subscriptions show was discovered some time after that the

went in a decrease of 5503 and 8355 respectively, note was forged. The mon search of prisoner, who was eventually the latter redaction being due to several arrosted. The defence was that the prismembers leaving the Colony for service THE oner did not know at the time he passed in the War area, and until normal con ditions prevail reductions under this heading most be expected.

the

note that it was false. It was curious that the prisoner did not take the note to money changer, of whom there were screra) in Queen's Road, instead of going to a beef stall. Still, it was not no extra.

stoull be put down at the back to build a matshed three storeys high ordinary as it seemed because he was of the fixed deposita of 82,000 to current

the sheds. At any rate that was what was done. There was also a sug-

gestion, he believed, that it would be ad vantageous if the posts were not let into

Yes, if properly constructed it would be

sa.fe.

known at the stall and probably went there to save himself trouble. Prisoner, however, was a shop-coolie and what they would all want to know was what a shop

A sum of $800 voted at the last annual meeting to the St. Dunstan's Home for Blinded Soldiers and Sailors was paid last March. In order to pay the final instalment of the War Loan, $750, the Com mittee, in January last transferred ono account. In February last 81,000 was replaced on fixed deposit. The latter account now stands at 83,660 (1016 $4,000), and the Investment in Hongkong Gov ernment 8 per cent. War Loan $3,000,

The Committee's request. for members.

1918, has been met with apathy. This will love largely increased since the abolition of the

manager,

the the work of carrying on, which has been post of European mittee, who are thanked for their willing boulders of the old members of Com nces to serve for a further term.

the ground, but, as a matter of fact, the the ground foor. He first heard a creak-coulie was doing with a $100 note and how willing to serve for the

were

Leung Wan Bung said he was in shed No. 11 at the time of the collapse, on

it came about that the coolie, when at Two or three uprights previous to that were never loting sound. then the shed collapsed and

he pinned down. into the ground for any distance. They was iterwards he saw a fire near rested, had in his possession 3135 in silver were simply wank in two or three inches shed No. 10. He saw no fire on the other and small notes. On February lath, two side. He noticed about 2.30- that the but that dumping injured the turf.

lashings on No. 11 were making a noise. days before the incident, a similar forge! By the Crown Solicitor: Before the They were working up and down. This note (35 to $100) was passed at a shop cassoways were constructed the people led him to believe the matsheds come out of the matsheds and walked unsafe and he was at first inclined to in Des Voeux Road, where gambling was the note said the prisoner gave it to him, leave, but eventually, stopped where he being earried on. The man who passed neross the greens,

When the By the Crown Solicitor: He had had and prisoner admitted that in his state Mr. Lo The Committee made certain suggest and left it to the PWD to no experience of matsheds and had never ment at the Folice Court. carry thaar out if they thought fit, taking been in a matshed before the race meeting prisoner was charged there were two The enqury was then adjourned for curious points. Making a statement in eference to what took place at the shop due regard for the safety of the public."

tiffin. Mas

where gambling was carried on, prisoner THE QUESTION OF UPRIGHTS

stated that he was involved by a friend, not know it was forged, and lent it to his friend was desirous of staking NJ. Austin, cashier at the Chartered Bank said the 45 note was altered to

AGAIN.

10.9.

Was

תם

COMPANY REPORT BANK OF TAIWAN, LTD.

The profit and loss account of this Bank was presented to the ordinary general meeting of shareholders at Tokio on the

W. J. Wilkinson, an overseer of the time of the collapse. Ho heard a croaking who had given him the note. He did 1st instant and was follows:-

Hongkong Land Investment Company,

Chiu Chau, & Chinese boy," said he in shed 13, on the first floor, at the from the floor on which he was Bding The floor was full to over: The creaking caused a distur

money.

Dr.

Current Expenses, interests, Reservo funds

etc.

Biay

said he was in shed No. 8 at the tinig at rowdinen the shed fell he was pinned the collapse, on the top floor. His Wife bance. When

sons, his daughter, three nephews down for about five minutes and sate 2.55 p.m. he heard a cracking noisequently escaped through the roof on the represent a $100 note. The hundred Dividend (10 per cent, per

got

three

son-in-law were with him.

At

The

he

The accountant of the beef stall also Kave evidence.

After bearing further evidence the jury found the prisoner guilty

and

shock. The cracking noise appoared to at the time, in No. 18 come from the whole structure of No. 5. Kwong Bui Ting, No. 7 Boy at the He noticed the show sway to and fro Golf Club, said at the time of the ingat

suddenly collapsed. He he was in the Golf Club, standing

His Lordship sentenced the accused and then it estimated that there were more than 50 the bar door. He saw the whole row of

matsheds give a twist. There was a very to live years' imprisonment with hard

in labour: people on his floor at the time.

half of one

There sharp crack and he then ran upstairs top floor was ind whatever before the Golf Club house in order to close the was no panic of any i the cracking was heard. There was no windows, When he came down he spoke abnormal mo

movement of the people of any to Mr. Henderson, who told him to get kind on his floor and he did not notice plenty of water ready. The flow in the Bubse was very slow. however, any movement among the people in other When the shod fell parts of the shed.

quently be helped to move things out of Hu obtained the By Mr. Bowley only, two buckets in the club.

for fear some debris might fall on top -By

the

got.

Gast, a

LENT MISSION.

T24,380,824.58

UNDERWEAR

IDEAL WEAR FOR THE PRESENT SEASON.

ALSO ALL SIZES IN

AERTEX

CELLULAR

INDIA GAUZE

SILKETTE

B.V.D.", ETC.

LANE, CRAWFORD & CO.

A SOAP FOR PARTICULAR-PEOPLE

300,000.00

annum) Balance carried forward to

00,000:06

125,000.00

302,929,89

Pare

Palms

and

.V. 26,058,554-46

Olive

Oila

next account.

Total

Cr

from Last accounb... Y 323,292.65 Balance brought forward Amount of gross proâts for the half-year ending 31st December 1917

Total

HONGKONG

25,732,261.81

Y:28,038,654.46

MAGISTRACY

THEFT OF WHISKY.

ALLEGED PURSE SNATCHING,

A Chinese was charged with snatching a purse from another Chinesa

It was stated that complainant, who is employed as an engineer on a small river. boat, was walking away from the wharf when defendant brushed against him and Defendant said he several men extracted his purescar portal

anning after two men. He joined in chase and, to his surprise, found himself

Mr. Dyer Ball remanded the case.

BEGGING ALMS

AT THE R. C. CATHEDRAL.

The Rev. Fr. Prahur is conducting a the nine members of his party were buried in the débris. His floor, he

Mission, or rather spiritual retreat in estimated, fell nobut 18 feet. After he water from the cook-house. There were the Cathedral of the Immaculate Con was pinned down he decided not to move on the Coroner: It was very hard to coption. Beginning on Wednesday inst of him. At that moment, however, he express an opinion as to whether they it will be continued till next Wednesday, saw a fire, apparently in the partition would have been able to put out, the fire the 27th inst. The subjects taken during For stealing a bottle of whisky from between sheds Nos, 8 and 8. The fire if they had had more water. When he the past two days were, "The End of a steamer in Harbour a Chinese was

Man"

and "Death and Bingers sentenced by Mr. Dyor Ball to six weeks was quite a small one on the level of the urst saw the fire it was on the Golf Club Mal to say, the Church was crowded hard labour first Boor as it was in its collapsed state side of gheds.

the

warder in Victoria with a congregation composed of repre The fire looked as though it was just starting

in his opinion it started after

said he was standing inside the sentatives of every nationality. the

collapse occurred. He then made enclosure of the Grand Stand at the time his way

out through the roof and man of the collapse. He was at the top of

By Mr. Bowley. He had inspected, the to get his family out also. He the slope. First ho heard a crack and crawled across the rool and cooped on then say a booth, about No. 16, fall;

public road side. By the time Fing towards him and slightly backward shed of which he was a parto previous but the fire had spread considerably towards the road. A few seconds after to the race meeting, and found that it had been built in the same way as last and was burning strongly. He thought wards he saw all the sheas fall like the bodies of the people found by Nos pack of cards. He went to the assistance year, and in accordance with his instruc 8 and sheds after fire were the bodies of the people pinned down, and, a few tions.

By the Coroner: There were no lumps

his shed. in of persons who had been planed down minutes effor, the cry of fire was raised.

the collapse

Colonel Ward, who happened to be in under arrest The shed was entered He remarked to some soldiers who were by a stairway which went by an angle working with him at the time that they Court, was asked by the Coroner to to the first floor. He did not believe that must hurry or the fire would be on them.never one or two more questions this

stancase collapsed crushing on mid

independently He was engaged in rescue work in the The Coroper forgot to ask you

middle of the row and he saw the fire oning to escaping to it. Shed No. 8 fell on to shed No. 9

saw signs of fire and columns of Two Chinese were charged with begging right the Crown Solicitor. He did not make going up, you saw them in mors la Canal Rood prepared with logs og not on to No. 7. He was standing out two or three booths away on his yesterday, Colonel Ward, whether, when

back to the

the at racecourse

the beggars had been sent to Canton, bat of üre were all concentrated in one time and the floor on which he was alid see any sign of muvement among the than one place in the row 1-The signs Sergeant Blankman said that one of and returned. He had a wooden leg, but over to his right. He did not think that crowds before No. 10 shad moved.

door could have fallen in the first By Mr. Bowley: The rails were still of about six or eight feet.

Are you satisfied that are broke out was able to do manual labour. The other defendant was soon, by one of the fokir, 1-Quite instance towards No. 9 and then recover-standing when he went to the sheds to

the row place in ont

Whenever ed itself and fallen to No. 7. The floor ronder assistance, but he did not notice satisfied. The outbreak was entirely at carrying a child on his back fell in one direction towards No. 9; he whether the struta of the stands were was certain of that.

fastened to these rails.

one spotdence this morning from at a Maroponun he held out his hat HUMA Dyer, clerk in the Police Depart W By the Crown Solicitor: Subsequently he saw the large heap of bodies between ment, who was in sheds 4, 5 and 6 at the man who was on the top floor of thed Mr. Dyer Baned one defendant 23, were approxi- time of the collapse, stated that be first No. 8, which would be the floor which with the alternative of ten days hard you noticed as one of the points of labour, and the other defendant 25, with Bay smoke between sheds, No. 7 and ret weakness. He was standing on the floor the alternative of fourteen days! hard

first By the Crown Solicitor: noticed some people rush out of the sheds at the time of the collapse and his im- sabour.

said nothing, and he imagined that pression was that the floor collapsed on

by

his

mately at the spot seen the fire

sheds Nos, 8 and 9 here

By Mr. Bowley: He

where Chinese

he had first

saw two

W

at

chatties on the first floor of shed No: & They had happened outside the sheds to No 0 and not on to No. 7-It went

down

that. The roof fell

FWD PROSECUTION.~-~

could look down from the top floor on Victoria Gaol, gave evidence that he wasom forskn six or eight fything Big He could not say whether they were and that they were going on are a deally first of all, para Foo Loong, a Chinese contractor, was

elight at the time of the colla

for the door.

to look, Inspector West, principal warder in

day.

1136

down 25 though something under with using soft and defective stone in to the first floor of No. 8.. He would in the Grand Stand enclosure at the straight gulmate there were about 200 people there time of the collapse, standing just out beath had given way. Then the whole concrete for the foundations of houses in just before the collapse. When the shed side thy pari mutuel door.

the buildings went, one after the Bonham He heard other like a pack of cards, and naturally: "Defendant and

it was not his fault; began to oreak this poople made a...

a rush someone shouting that the stands were No. 8 would go into No. 7.

rush

he was working under the instructions of He had given The registered oдеть, Another Chinese who had been pinned the registe

but of better material, By Mr. Steavenson: When he returned falling and then he saw the booths bulg

orders for the backwards, beginning from between

and his evidence to his experiences to the scene of the fire after taking his 15 and 16. The sheds seemed to down by the matcheda was called to reisthe owners had overruled them. family home, the Fire Brigade was work bulge from the middle and fell slowly eluded the enquiry for the

Mr. Hutchings said he visited the pre ing. There was no pressure of water He

render

mises on two occasions and found defec whatsoever. This

The Coroner then remarked that he mis on any assistance, and three or after arrival at.

stands he sAW

certain Lo: Ho firmly believed and smoke between Nos. 12, anity of Travo to

and to give information his instructions had been ignored, so he occurred in No.

quantity water to and have taken a

present prosecution. It was inaterial for entered the that shed No. 8, by its collapse, knocked

ourt regarding put the fire out, because water would

dangerous

to use such rotten ma-

of laying

fenn the over No: 9.

рогра have had to have been forced through the Mr. Bowley said he would have the terial for the By the Coroner: He did not notice roof, which was constructed to resist.

Mr. Dyer Ball said it would be best his shed sinking vertically at all. En Underneath the fire would have continued model of sheds Nos 8 and 9 ready by dation of a house part

to get the registered owner as a witness, and adjourned the case till Wednesday until this second model was finished...

The enquiry was then adjournel until next at 11:30 am for the purpose.

3.30.

1918

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Denton 1

matsbeds, etc.

believed there may have been a general whatever water supply had been avail- Monday or Tuesday, and it was decided not to call Mr. Bird to give evidence

movement of the upright supports in the able

owing to the fact that they were not

insorted into the ground In his opinion

So Chun Chiu, who was a partner in

they should be inserted at least 3 feet shed 13, said he first say fire near shes this morning at 10.30, when evidence

Vitness added tant ho had served his apprenticeship to the building trade.

9 and 10.

(Continued at foot of next Column.)

will be given by members of the Brigade

Fire

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