THE WAREHOUSE FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 121, 19 November 1934, Page 11

THE WAREHOUSE FIRE

GOODS IN STOCK

MANAGER'S EVIDENCE

(By Telegraph—l'ress Association.)

CHBISTCHURCH, This Day.

"You have been.hedging and hedging all the morning," declared the Coroner (Mr. E..D. Mosley) to William: Davidson, manager of. Davidson and Co., Ltd., when the warehouse fire inquiry was resumed this morning.

Davidson at one stage said that there had, been three vinegar casks in-the

warehouse.

The" Coroner: That 'a one ' more tlian we/ve;heard about. ~"" . - -■.■:'

Tho witness at first said that it was hard to" say whether one particular cask had been brought to the warehouse before or after tho fire. Later, in reply to the Coroner, he paid that it had arrived in the warehouse before the fire.

Davidson was cross-examined concerning tlie stock sheets and an invoice referring to tea. He said that the tea was being delivered by a carter from bond to the warehouse. Other goods might have been added to A.B.C. stores, or any other order, and scat from tho warehouse together with tho cheese. ( - ' SHARP EXAMINATION.

The Coroner: That is rubbish, Mr. Davidson, they were never taken into |your warehouse. Don't put rubbishy explanations before the Coroner. Davidson added that the stock sheets did not include goods that were only in store; they included goods that were stored in bond, or elsewhere, if paid for by tho firm. • Mr. Thomas, appearing for the Guardian Assurance Company:, You have sworn that is not so." You made a declaration stating that "no goods in bond or in transit were included."

Tho Coroner: That is perjury is it not?

Davidson: As far as I am. concerned, I believe it to be in order. The Coroner: There is the declaration made by you on September 7 that all the goods listed in the stock sheets were in stock in the warehouse.

Witness: That was. substantially correct. I havo no recollection when I signed the document that the tea was in bond. I signed it believing it to be true. The Coroner read" the further sentence from tho declaration that "tho firm's stock books represented the net value of stock in. hand at tho warehouse on February 28.','

Witness: That document was drawn up by someone else. l . Tho CorOner: But it was signod by you"as correct. . The fact is that you declared it to bo 'true and correct, and now you say that it is not true.

(Proceeding.)