TURAKINA FIRE INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 250, 19 October 1907, Page 6

TURAKINA FIRE INQUIRY.

;<By-,Telegraph.—Press • Association.^

WELLINGTON, Friday.

A nautical inquiry into the fire on the steamer Turakin'a "commenced this afternoon. -. ■ ' I;

Captain Forbes, cross-examined by Mr." Johnston/ said the chief officer of the ship had nothing "to do with the cargo as \regards its ' actual stowing, • but as th6'officer-in charge "of the deck he'had to see that there was no smoking or striking of matches near the hatches or in the holds. -" Every precaution ■ was taken short of the actual 'searching of the men to see ho matches were brought near' the hold. It was quite possible for matches to get into the flax in other places but the hold.' Gases had been reported to him in which '■ matches had been found in the flax before it was put oh board shin." ":'-•>

In. answer'to Mr. Myers, he said no cargo in the 'tween'decks had been de-. stfoyed by fire.

To Captain Willis, he said it was-prac-tically certain the'fire did hot-take place through the introduction •of si lighted match or spark through the ventilators, as the latter were all * plugged. He thought it. would be' advisable to prohibit absolutely the carrying of wax matches "by-any person on board ship. Arthur Paramore,- second officer, whose duty it was to superintend' the stowing of cargo' said be always "refused to ship wet flax."" The'flax shipped'at Auckland was dry as far'as he could judge.

Questioned by Mr. Johnston, witness said he had been continually in the hold while the flax was being stowed. He had seen no one smoking.

Superintendent Hugo, of the Wellington Fire' Brigade, said' he took part in the suppression of the'hre. He made an examination of No. 1 hold during the time they were extinguishing the fire. From what he saw he thought Captain Forbes was very probably correct in his, theory as' to the place" of origin. ■ He could hot" express ' any opinion' on the evidence he had heard as to the cause of the fire. For some' time he had carried oh experiments with regard to fire in hemp, but he had hot been able to' get very near to spontaneous combustion. He bad a decided theory as to the real cause of fires on "ships. He had seen passengers and men smofeng on wharves and amongst cargo iriany a time. He quoted" the case of the fire on the Moerald in 1905. In this case it was stated that' a man had lost something in the cargo and struck a match to look for it. Under such conditions, he thought there was plenty to account for fires. Even if spontaneous combustion were possible he should certainly not-ex-pect it to arise within four days after the loading of the vessel. In answer to Mr. Johnston witness stated that the experiments he had carried .out in the-, matter of spontaneous combustion had.] been.merely of a private character. He would not put them forward as thi jxperiments of , a qualified chemist. He had considerable experience of the sea, having been a master mariner. He had often seen men smoking in the holds of ships. He had not seen it in New Zealand during his experience here, extending over the last eight and a-half years. In. England the carrying of matches in the docks was absolutely prohibited. In many docks men had to change their clothes. . ...

The inquiry is to be resumed on Monday.