HUTT DISASTER ANOTHER DEATH

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 76, 31 March 1914, Page 2

HUTT DISASTER ANOTHER DEATH

CAUSE OF EXPLOSION STILL UNCERTAIN The number of persons killpd by the explosion at the fire at Messrs. Bengo and Pratt's shop at the Upper Hutt on Satutday night now amounts to seven. Yesterday afternoon, at 4.45 o'clock, Evernrd E. H. Pelling. a young man 18 years of age, died at tne Hospital, never having regained consciousness. De* censed, who was a Eon of Air. E. 11. Pelling, of the tipper Ilutt, received injuiies to his Head, which proved fatal, Dr. Maciaurin. Government Analyst, made an inspection of the nuns yesterday. He will be an important witness at the inquest so far as the cause of the explosion is concerned. SergeantDetective ftawle is making enquiries on behalf of the police. The cause of the explosion is still uncertain. At a meeting of the Upper Hutt Town Board last evening, a resolution was adopted' — tho members standing — expressing the deep sympathy of the townspeople and board with the relatives of tiiosc who had lost their lives or had been injured in Sunday's catastrophe. The chairman announced he had opened a subscription list for the relief of the neces a ities of those requiring help and that ho had convened a public meeting for Tuesday night in the local Town Hall. Splendid work was done by the women of the township^ who assisted" in minister* ing to the injured. Several had a knowledge of first aid and it proved useful. After tho loss of Constable Mahoney in the ruins of the store Sergeant O'Halloran was summoned at once from Wellington, and came up posthaste by motor, bringing with him Constable Melville, of Wellington, and Constable Meiklejohn, of Petouo. Sergeant O'Halloran was busy right through the wnole of yesterday looking after details connected 'with the fire. Tho special train, which carried the wounded into town, was driven by W, Grey, with J. Skelton as fireman, who had just brought in the 10,35 train fioin Wellington. The special was driven through to Wellington ih under fortjfive minutes — a. record for the distance--which usually takes over an hour. Dr. Kemp travelled with the four 'injured men, who were conveyed by two ambulances to the Hospital. On Sunday morning Mr. W. R>. Morris (Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department), Mr A. P. Drydcn (Chief Postmaster), and Mr. Laurenson (a member of the Wellington Post, Office staff) went to the Upper Hutt in connection with tho restoration of the Post and Telegraph services. Soon after their arrival men were set to work to screw boai'ds over the broken windows in the local Post Office and tidy up the premises, and Mr. Laurenson was placed in charge of the office pending the appointment of a successor to the late Mr. Comesky. Public business is being carried on there as usual to-day. Among the many people who had narrow escapes was Mr. J. Ha/elwood, general storekeeper, whose p)ac» of business is directly on the north sido of the de,molished building, and whoso drapery department was completely destroyed in the conflagration. Mr. Hazelwood. at the time the explosion took place, was nailing sheets of corrugated iron over his back windows, in an effort to pre« vent the_ encroachment of the flames on his promises. Presently there was a tremendous report, and he iottnd' himself in the midst of a. tornado of flying timber, sheet-iron, and debris. Some of the ', binning pieces were flung close on a hundred yards away to the rear of his premise?. Telegrams of condolence have been received from tho Prime Minister (the lit. I lion. W. F. Massey), the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, and from many local bodies throughout the Dominion. Befoie proceeding with business at last night's meeting of the Petone Borough Council tho Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) moved that a resolution be passed condoning with the relatives of those killed by the explosion at Upper Hutt. Mr. M'Ewan reiiiaiked that the disaster must seriously affect a progressive town like Upper Hutt. t Councillor Trueman seconded the motion, which was carried in silence. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) is making an _ appeal for subscriptions towards relief of the bereaved and injured. Commissioner Richards sent the following telegram to the chairman of the Upper Hutt Town Board yesterday : '' Three hundred and fifty officers of the Salvation Army assembled in council, deeply moved at news of terrible catastrophe, desire to convey to bereaved relatives their heartfelt sympathy; have offered prayers on behalf of the widows, orphans, and other relatives. If the Salvation Army can be of any assistance, such assistance will be most gladly rendered.—Commissioner Hichards." INJURED MEN IN HOSPITAL. The Hospital authorities report that James Hagan. although still in a somewhat serious condition, is a little easier to-day, and that Virgil Al 'Govern is making good progress towards recovery.