Sessional_Paper_1901 — Page 692

HONGKONG.

687

No. 36

DEPOSITIONS TAKEN BY THE MAGISTRATE SITTING AS CORONER, AND FINDING IN THE ENQUIRY INTO THE DEATHS WHICH OCCURRED IN THE COLLAPSED HOUSES IN COCHRANE STREET,

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

HONGKONG TO WIT.

Inquiry No. 20 of 1901.

In charge of the Case-Inspector David Douglas Cuthbert,

1901

Information of witnesses severally taken and acknowledged on behalf of Our Sovereign King EDWARD the Seventh at the house known as the Police Court in Victoria, in the said Colony, on the 30th day of August in the year of Our Lord One thousand nine hundred and one, before Francis Arthur Hazeland, Esq., Gentleman, Magistrate for the said Colony.

LIU Mur declared and examined:

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I am a married woman. I lived at No. 32, Cochrane Street, third floor. The house was a family house. The house had four storeys. There were different families occupying the different floors. On the 3rd floor there were 19 people. On the night of the 14th August, at 11 p.m., the house suddenly collapsed. My husband was in the same cubicle with me. My husband was killed. My mother and two daughters were also on the same floor. They were all killed. My husband's name was Leung Sang. He was head coolie at the Ordnance.

DAVID DOUGLAS CUTHBERT sworn and examined

I am Inspector of Police. I was requested to make enquiries of those who were killed by the col- lapse of Nos. 32 and 34, Cochrane Street. Forty-three dead bodies were recovered from the ruins. I produce list of 41 persons who are missing from these two houses. There are also 3 whom I have not been able to ascertain the names of. Two of these three were visitors and the third was the husband of a woman living in the house. I am of opinion that all the 41 on this list were killed by the collapse.

GEORGE WATT sworn and examined:

I am Police Sergeant 11. On the night of the 14th instant at 11 p.m. I was in Queen's Road at the bottom of Cochrane Street. I heard noise of something falling. I ran up the street and found that No. 32 and No. 34, Cochrane Street had collapsed and also the verandah of No. 30 had also fallen. I went up to No. 30 to get the people out. While I was there, fire broke out in No. 32. A minute or two later the fire brigade arrived and extinguished the fire.

HO HEUNG CHI declared and examined :--

I am a draughtsman in Messrs. Palmer & Turner, Architects. On the night of the 14th August I was asleep at No. 32, Cochrane Street, second floor. In the second cubicle there was a friend of mine sleeping there. His name was Ho Sun. He was an apprentice. I was asleep and I heard a crash. Then the house collapsed.

PERCY THOMAS CRISP Sworn and examined:

I am Inspector of Buildings. On the 15th August at 9 a.m. I was called to the collapse of Nos 32 and 34, Cochrane Street. I examined the débris and found that all the floor joists were in a sound condi- tion. The brickwork of the top floor, which was added a year ago, seemed to be good work. I saw the red brick bonding and it was good. In my opinion the cause of the collapse was due to the faulty party wall of the old work. I found, from the part of the party wall remaining, it was quite hollow. I have no doubt this party wall was built hollow. The heavy rains soaking into the two layers of Shanghai tiles caused a very great weight to come on to the party wall, which split in two owing to its being hollow.

JOHN BELL Sworn and examined :—

I am Medical Officer in Charge of the Mortuary. I produce list of the bodies received at the mortuary on 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 22nd August, sent by the Police from the collapsed buildings at No. 32 and No. 34, Cochrane Street. I have also placed on the list the cause of death.

HUGH POLLOCK TOOKER Sworn and examined:

I am Acting Assistant Director of Public Works. These two houses, Nos. 32 and 34, Cochrane Street, standing on Inland Lot No. 1 section A, were constructed, as far as we can ascertain, in the

year 1878, and there appears to be no record in the office of any alteration or addition until the latter end of 1900, when plans were submitted under the Building Ordinance and notices given on prescribed form. One dated the 3rd November, 1900, is in respect of No. 32, Cochrane Street, and the other dated the 7th -