THE HUTT DISASTER.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 28 April 1914, Page 7

THE HUTT DISASTER.

THE CORONER'S VERDICT.

BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, April 28. In giving his verdict'in connection with the Hutt fire inquest the Coroner stated that two theories had been advanced as to the cause of th/s explosion. ' One of these was that"it was due to the esecape of acetylene gas and the other that it was due to gelignite. The acetylene gas theory was supported by Professor Easterfield and opposed T)y Dr. MacLaurin and two other witnesses. Putting the positive elements against the negative elements in regard to the acetylene hypothesis one could, saidthe Coroner, only come to the conclusion that the explosion was not due to acetylene gas. On the evidence his verdict was that the men who were killed^ died from injuries accidentally received in an explosion of gelignite at Benge and Pratt's store, but the evidencel was insufficient to show how the ' fir© originated. The Coroner added that the evidence went to show that Bense and Pratt were not aware that geliffnita in any such quantity was stored in the place