WHAT THE SHOPKEEPERS SAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2110, 30 March 1914, Page 6

WHAT THE SHOPKEEPERS SAY.

.•CANNOT ACCOUNT FOR THE EXPLOSION. Mr. Herbert Victor Benge, senior partner in the firm of Bengc and Pratt, stated that when ( he left the store soon after the closing hour (10 p.m.) thero was no indication of'fire —hothing to arouse any suspicion; that the condition of things,was other than normal.. At about five minutes to VI, ho'was aroused out of his bed-by Con-

and I'm not usiialiyfem excitable man.'® Had you 110 explosives 011 the premises? ''Xo—absolutely' iioju.'." No dynamite? "No." Did you sell Wasting powder? "Yes, but 1 bad none in stock."' How do yon account for the explosion? "I can't account for it" > There is an acetylene light plant on. the premises? . "Yes." "What is the size of the tank (gasometer) ? "About 3ft, by 2ft, I charged it myself about, Twlf-psSt sight." | And it wits all right aft<?r*v'ards? "Yes, as fat- as I could see." Did you sell cartridges? "Yes—wo had a few dozen in stock, j but absolutely no explosives." Mr. Herbert 1»; Pratt, & partner In the firm of Messrs. ]fc»go and Pratt, j stated, when interviewwl, that lie was warned by Constable Ifahowjy of the outbreak of fire in the firm's premises. Mr. Pratt proceeded to tiitt rear of the building, and, along ivith others, secured a garden hose a»,d endeavoured to stop the flames spreading i to Edwards's stables and tire outhouses of Mr. H'aael-

police ai'o in of evidence'-to the effect that tho bay speaking before tlit! esplosioii occurred to a, iuiia- ! bar of women who were (fathered under a shop verandah, 'said: "Thews will bo a fine scatter wlicu'the powder goes off." One of tlw women asked, "Is tltorc powder there?" and Cooper, it is stated, replied, "Yes, there as a .barrel," i A WRECKED HOTEL; ' WALL BUCKLED AND TWISTED, Of the buildings not actually burned' out, that which suffered most severely was the Provincial Hotel, a wooden building occupied fey Mr. ffi. Crabtree. It, stands immediately south of Messrs. lienge and Pratt's site 'and -was separated" from the establishment of that firm .only by a small wooden building occupied'by" Mr. H. Edwarfs (carrier) as aii office. The hotel- seems to have felWWie full fatco of the explosion. Inside it is wrecked in many rooms and hardly any have' escaped damage 'of some bind. The whole building was racked by the'explosion and seems to be canted to tho soath. Tho north wall is