THE TURAKINA FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 30, 30 October 1907, Page 9

THE TURAKINA FIRE.

' JUDGMENT .OF THE COURT. NO-EVIDENCE AS TO-CAUSE OR ..-.; ■.;•"•";. n ; :i-QRI6IN;-- - 'i Dr.; McArthur, S.M., President ,of the Court of .Inquiry into the causes and origin of tho firo in the Now Zealand Shipping ; Company's sis. Turakina, delivered tho finding of the- Court yesterday morning':— ; . ,! ; ,,; ..v ; 'the verdict. ..-.','.' Theverdict wasas follows:: — 1. .There is ho.evidence .to disclose the ac- '.' ■' cause nnd origin of the said fire.' ■ 2. lAhd;"-thercforo, tho Court is unable to .';'. s -say whether the said fire could have vsbeon prevented or,not., . ;'; ;.,; ,-. • Attached to ~the' report .was the following annex:— .■''; ■'."■->:.'■■■'■ ■;' r - - Flax:—Grading: On' tho evidence adduced, the .Court .'finds; that: the- grading has been j satisfactorily out, and,that no.-con- .' demned flax : has been'shipped. ' '..." Spontaneous Combustion.—Tho Court is unanimously of Opinion f that • spontaneous combustion in flax was ; not, tile cause of the fire,:..; ;,-'..: ;.•;.: .;■■'.'.■.:.■■■.,-:••'■■,-.,'' ;--i' ; ' : ... - Tow.—The Court is also of 'opinion that , spontaneous' combustion • in ; cow' was "not the cause'of'the fire. '-■.•<■ •■■:■:' i"'>,-:.- '■■■'■■■■■' - ■ : Inspection'.-—lni the.opinion of ..the Court thejnsnection of cargo prior to shipment, and during its receipt .is totally inadequate. : Matches.—The Court is' strongly of opinion that grave'danger of fire exists from allowing men .engaged in, stowing cargo,to, take,into ships' holds'their coats and wafstcoats which; may contain' matches,' ''. '. /'.' Tomperatures.—Tho Court;, is of opinion that, tho temperature of: the holds is not suffioiently, ..regularly, '.and frequently .taken. ... *'. ! ; T !l t 'RECOMMENDATIONS: r ' : ''^^ ~. The.Court recommended:—' ',' : ,.\' .... ,- ■ ,'-7.(1.) That a system of inspection ' '. - O'similar to-' that '.'which'., obtained ; •'■;.'. ;. prior'to-June,'-1905J'should be es-' ; : a tablished.->"<:•. .-:• ~<i.:.;•■-.■•'.'. w..r-.i--- '•■■■-.- .a' ,(2.),.Tliat provision, should; :< bo i.-,; i.made for the,care, of,men's coats ~,. , ' and waistcoats, so as to enable the , ".-■ ""enforcement of a rule hgiiiust'the-•" ' taking- of matches into holds/ •: ;:-.-::. .:. (3.) That-smoking on:or:about a-' ~ ship's .deck' when..the natches f are •-. ' - open, should be absolutely prohibi- • Ptad:' ■ ■ ""'- : - ". ■'■' ~ ; " '-: ' ; ~ :: , ...;"'"■/."'■;, ■' '•':. (4'.)'That; shipping'-'companies ' : '. :i ' should issue strict regulations as to '•'"'. ' ■ -/the.- regular;:taking and..recording •. ■ '■■ in the ship's log of temperatures in-, 'bunkers and holdsat every change, - ■ ! 6f watch. ' ■■■■■■■■: <■ ,- ■■■.... ..•'/•■'•■ ■_ The Court desires to'state that, : in its'opinion,;as soon as tho fire: was discovered; every possible: means,was ..taken.' by .the captain officers, and, crewto subdue.it. It also considers''that' Captain''Forbes oxorcised the wisest'.discretion in returning to New Zca-' lan'djj which action; probably averted- a most serious disaster.,, ..,.-,..<..,.,. .'• . JiWith reference to its'remarks as to inspection'; wishes;to free 1 from all'blarrio the .second officer'from /any-dereliction of duty.! !•'•-;„; •'.,■.•/•,,.-,.-„.„■;. ,•;,--.: /-,-.-• :.'. : ,