BALLANTYNE’S FIRE INQUIRY

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25517, 10 June 1948, Page 6

BALLANTYNE’S FIRE INQUIRY

Last Witness To Be Heard To-day FINAL EVIDENCE ON CABLE AND INSURANCES The hearing of evidence by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Ballantyne’s fire on November 18, when 41 lives were lost, will be concluded early to-day. After hearing the last witness—an electrical expert for Thompson and Dorreen, Ltd., contractors for the installation of the cable in 1937—the commission will adjourn till Tuesday, when counsel and agents will make their final submissions. The addresses will probably occupy nine sitting days. The complete impartiality of the fire insurance underwriters in the inquiry was emphasised yesterday by the underwriters’ leading counsel (Mr E. D. Blundell, of Wellington). It was appreciated, he said, that mistakes and omissions had been made and that the commission might regard many of them as avoidable and deserving of censure. Evidence was given that most of the payments under the insurance policies had been made to J. Ballantyne and Company, Ltd. Fire underwriters, said Mr V. Just in evidence, only rated the building as they found it and premiums were not affected by alterations to the building and the use of inflammable materials. He did not regard Ballantyne’s buildings as being a bad and dangerous fire risk. Underwriters did not approach the insured to improve the fire risk. * Submissions that the cable in Ballantyne’s premises was properly installed were made by Mr E. S. Bowie, for the contractors, who called evidence to show that the defective joints in the conductors were not made by the contractors. In his outline of evidence, Mr Bowie said an electrical expert would submit that there was insufficient current available to cause the cable to heat to a degree sufficient to cause the fire.