Sessional_Paper_1901 — Page 693

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December, 1900, is in respect of 34, Cochrane Street. Both plans were prepared by Mr. E. M. HAZELAND, and the notice dated the 3rd November, 1900, describes the work as follows :--“ To make additions and re-build cross wall, add verandah." The notice dated the 7th December describes the work as follows:

Additions and re-building cross wall, &c." Both notices are signed by CUAN TSUN CHEUNG, as owner, and the addition spoken of consisted principally of another storey. They were originally 3-storied houses. These plans were scrutinized by myself, and found to be in accordance with the Building Ordinance, and were then forwarded to the Medical Officer of Health and were returned by him saying that he was satisfied they were in accordance with the Public Health Ordinance. This Ordinance (15 of 1894) provides for the height of houses in relation to the width of the street. This additional storey complied with that Ordinance. I visited the collapse on the morning of the 15th August and found that Nos. 32 and 34 had completely collapsed, and in No. 30 the front wall had fallen out, and the sites of Nos. 32 and 34 were covered with débris and also the street in front, and also the balcony of No. 31, which was of iron, was considerably damaged and a quantity of débris was on the verandah. I made a careful exami- nation of the remaining walls and of the débris. I found that the portion of party wall between 32 and 34 was badly constructed although the bricks of which it was composed were good. I mean by badly constructed that the wall was badly bonded and the heart of the wall was composed of small pieces of blue brick. The heart of the wall was hollow and was filled in with small pieces of brick. This could not be perceived except by an interior inspection of the wall. The party wall between Nos. 30 and 32 and between 34 and 36 were standing at that time and exposed to view, and it could be perceived that these walls were more or less of the same construction as the party wall between 32 and 34. After careful examination, 1 formed the conclusion that it would be impossible for anybody to say definitely what part of the building first collapsed. I further concluded that the mischief had been going on for some time and that the showery weather we had before the accident-hot one hour, and then a heavy shower — would have caused considerable contraction and expansion of the material, and acting on these old walls would have considerably tended to the collapse. All the timber in the floor that I examined was sound and good and the top floor appeared to be supported on hard-wood joists. I believe, from the way the floors were lying, that the party wall between Nos. 32 and 34 was the first part of the building to col- lapse. The failure of this wall would have caused the floors to tumble down and the shock would have been quite sufficient to throw the front wall out. I attribute the accident generally to the bad state of the old brickwork of the whole building. The old Building Ordinance No. 8 of 1856 placed no res- triction on the use of blue bricks but it required that all walls should be solidly built.

ERNEST MANNING HAZELAND sworn and examined:-

I am Civil Engineer and Architect. Some time in November and December, 1900, I was asked by Mr. Chan Tsun Cheung to prepare plans for an additional floor with verandahs to houses 30, 32 and 34, Cochrane Street. I sent one of my assistants to measure the premises up. He reported the walls were sound and plumb and thick enough to add an additional storey in compliance with the Building Or- dinance and Public Health Ordinance. Plans were prepared and submitted to the Public Works Department for approval. These plans were approved by the Public Works Department and 1 gave the plans to the owner. I had nothing to do with carrying out the alterations and additions to these premises. I was not engaged to superintend the work. I was formerly Assistant Engineer in the Public Works Department. My principal duties while in the Public Works Department were to carry out the provisions of the Building Ordinance. If I had the least suspicion that these walls were unsound I would not have sent these plans to the Public Works Department.

HUGH POLLOCK TOOKER recalled :--

I would wish to bring to the notice of the Court that in all the cases coming before the Court of collapses, the plans were prepared by European Architects, but in each case, they said that they had no power to supervise the construction. I believe if the work had been under the supervision of a European Architect, as soon as the roof was pulled off, he would have seen the bad state of the walls and would have doubtless pointed out the necessity of re-building them. Section 76 sub-section 3 of the Building Ordinance gives the Director of Public Works or any officer deputed by him power to enter any house, building or tenement where he has reasonable grounds for believing that within any house, building or tenement there are works being completed or carried out in contravention of this Ordinance.

Adjourned to 2.15 p.m.

F. A. HAZELAND, Police Magistrate.

30th August, 1901, at 2.15 p.m.

JOIN MITFORD ATKINSON SWorn and examined :-

I am Principal Civil Medical Officer. I produce list of bodies received on the 14th and 15th August sent by the Police from the collapsed buildings at Nos. 32 and No. 34, Cochrane Street. I have also placed on the list the cause of death and the approximate age.

F. A. HAZELAND, Police Magistrale.