THE LAMBTON-QUAY FIRE.
CONCLUSION OF THE ENQUIRY. THE VERDICT.
The enquiry into the Lambton-quay fire was concluded yesterday afternoon. Mr. Wilford re-examined B. Diederich, the chief member of the firm known as the Wellington Auctioneering Company, as to his financial position.
He owned his own residence at Lower Hutt, worth £3000, property adjoining worth £900, four sections worth £1000, deeds for other property worth £1250, goodwill of Cuba-street lease worth, at least £500, and interests in Petone worth £250. Against that was a mortgage of £1700, and an overdraft of a little over £700, leaving a surplus of over £4500.
Mr. Wilford said that Mr. Diederich’s character had been besmirched to some oxtent, and he wanted to shew that what was suggested was, that a man of repute, worth at least £4500, would go in for this sort of thing to get £150 out of the Insurance, for there was at least £300 worth of stock there, and the surplus of Insurance above value, as alleged, would have to be cut up between the two men.
Witness, in reply to a Juror, said he had a policy of something over £400 on his Cuba-street stock. There was not much stock there, but the policy had been in existence for seventeen years, when there was a larger stock there. Inspector Ellison said that a telegram from Christchurch stated that the gentleman who went to the Quay shop with Morris Schapiro took no special notice of the stock and could give no valuation.
Wm. H. Morton, City Engineer, stated that on the morning of the 22nd a break occurred at 3.20, about half a mile on the Petone side of Ngahauranga. The Venturi meter diagram shewed that there were 75,000 gallons of water flowing through the mains before the break, and afterwards it increased to 280,000 gallons per hour — running to waste.
The pressure gauge in the Corporation yard shewed the break to have occurred at 3.25. Just before that there was a pressure of 140lb to the square inch. That gradually fell away, and an hour after it was 15lb to the square inch. It gradually came down to nothing.
The Karori water was turned on every morning at 8 o’clock, and off again at 5, and was also shut off about mid-day on Saturdays. It was not shut off to the higher levels. If Karori was not so shut off it would soon empty itself. There was no Karori water on at the time of the Fire. During the day a man was on duty at the valve regulating the pressure, but at night he was not on duty.
Witness was informed by telephone at 20 minutes to 5 of the break. The Turncock was then still at his work. The Karori supply was on. The Turncock had received a call at 3.30 a.m., telling him of a break. He apparently attended promptly, but had been unable to locate the break at once. Had the Turncock known the burst was on the Hutt-road, he would have acted differently to what he did.
He turned on the Karori supply, and was then busy shutting off valves, with the object of concentrating the pressure. Had the Wainui main been turned off at once, and the Karori supply made available, the Superintendent would have had a pressure of 120lb, and a good supply for some time.
Bursts such as this were not frequent. It was about seventeen months since they had a fracture in the main. The one on the 22nd he believed was due to the earthquake experienced on the 13th. It would gradually extend and then, suddenly burst. It was a longitudinal crack of about 30in. Repairs were not completed till next morning.
At the Manners-street fire the next day there was a 40lb pressure. In a case such as the one under review, an assistant Turncock would have been useful, but as a rule the Turncock had been able to do everything satisfactorily.
To Mr. Skerrett: The pressure gauge at the Corporation yard would not necessarily indicate that the break was in a main. The reader need not necessarily know that the break was not merely in a branch. There would be a pressure shewing of 100lb at 3.30.
Ought not the Turncock have been able to turn off the Wainui supply and turn on the Karori supply in a very short time? — Yes, had he known where the break was.
Under all the circumstances, ought not the Turncock to have assumed the break was between the City and the Waiwetu Hills? — He might have done so, as he would most probably have heard of a City break earlier. As things had turned out, he should have turned off the valve by the Thorndon Kerosene Stores. He, however, did not know where the break was, and did his best — turned on the Karori supply at once and concentrated the pressure.
The pressure from the hills or high levels would prevent the immediate registration by the pressure gauge of a fall in pressure. The Turncock received notification of a break a moment or two before he was advised from the Fire Brigade Station of the outbreak of Fire. The Turncock did not act without any reference to the Superintendent at all.
Mr. Skerrett remarked that it looked as though he did, taking the present case as a criterion. Witness: I don’t think that is so.
The Foreman asked whether it would not be desirable to have a Turncock in charge of a valve at the entrance of the supply to the City so that he would at once know of a break in the main. — Witness replied that it might be desirable in the event of a Fire, but on 364 days in the year the official would be doing nothing. It would require to have two men — one for the day, and the other for the night.
Mr. Wilford pointed out that the new Fire Boards which were about to be established might have more money, as the Insurance Companies would be contributing, and they would probably be able to attend to such points as this.
This concluded the evidence.
In summing up, the Coroner said everything went to shew that the Fire started in the premises of the Wellington Auctioneering Company. It was Aransten who came most prominently to the front in connexion with the Fire, for he was on the premises about five hours before the Fire broke out. They were told he was an employee, and had no interest whatever in the stock.
The position of the stock was peculiar. A list made out in August, 1905, placed the value of the stock at £810. Diederich, Scanlon, Aronston, and Brown all said the stock was worth over £800. The evidence of Mr. Hammond, Manager of the South British Insurance Company, said, however, the stock was not worth more than £300.
Mr. Pinnock, a frequent buyer and visitor, said the same. Mr. Morris said £100, but the Coroner thought that was a good deal below. There appeared to be an over-insurance of £300. Did the Jury think that would form a reason for realising on the stock at the expense of the Insurance Companies?
It might excite suspicion, but was Diederich, who was worth £4000, likely to be a party to such a thing? There was no proof of incendiarism, or of any misconduct. The matter had not been fully cleared up, he was sorry to say. The Jury, he supposed, would have to find that the Fire originated in the Company’s premises; but how, there was no evidence to shew.
As to the spreading of the Fire, he thought the evidence adduced had done good. There was no doubt whatever that but for the absence of water there would not have been anything like such a serious conflagration. There were certainly matters for the earnest consideration of the Municipal Authorities and of the new Fire Board. The City certainly seemed quite unprepared for a big conflagration.
After about half-an-hour’s deliberation, the Jury returned the following verdict:—
- That in the opinion of the Jury the Fire commenced in the premises of the Wellington Auctioneering Company, but that there is no evidence to shew how originated.
- That the evidence submitted to the Jury by the owners and employees of the Company is generally of an unsatisfactory character.
- That the spread of the Fire was, in our opinion, due, firstly, to the failure of the Wainui water supply; secondly, to the length of time that elapsed in turning on the Karori service; and, thirdly, to the fact that the staff the Superintendent had at his disposal was insufficient to promptly man the appliances with which he is provided.
