GAS POISONING IN WELLINGTON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16415, 21 June 1915, Page 1 (Supplement)

GAS POISONING IN WELLINGTON.

CAUSE OF TRAGEDY. WEUJOSFGTON, May 26. The inquest arising- cut of the deaths of five persons by gas poisoning on April 29 last was resumed before tbe coroner (Mr W. G. Riddell) to-dav. Mr P. S. K. Maoassey appeared far the Crown, and Messrs T. Neave and J. C. Peacock appeared for the Gas Company and for the relathree oi the late James Robert Smith respectively. - Counsel for the Gas Company said the company expressed its profoemdest regret at what bad occurred. It had taken every available means for famishing a foil and independent statement . concerning' the causes that had contributed to the nate ooenrrence. Mr Ford, ieho was recognised as a gas engineer of -wide experience, ■would, counsel said, show that a piece of mechanism had been at fanlt. A thoroogh test of all the valves of the governors of. the distributing system had been made, and ' : it was found that a governor -was defective. It was the duty of the watchman to watch, the quantity of gas in the city holder, as per indicator. On the night of- tire dkaeter he found that the indicator of one holder ! showed thai more pas was wanted. He communicated with tie works at Miramsr, and the pressure was increased. That in- ■• creased pressure should have bad no effect what over, providing all tie "valves ■were in order, but it had proved sufficient to blow , the water out of the meters, and! had ; ' allowed the gae to escape. Evidence -was given in support of coonsePs statement bv Archibald DoagaU, engineer ■' to tbe Wellington Gas Company, SamH Thomas Reid, engineer-in-oharge at the Miramar works, and Albert Ford, conenlting engineer. • May 28. As the result of the inquest on toe &v$ victims of gas poisoning last month tbe following verdict was returned:—"That the - 1 -- deceased died from coal gas poisoning, dud to an accidental escape of gas from the ' service mains caused by abnormal gas pros- "' sure from the Miramar mannfactarmg station after 10 p.m. on April 29, which tbe governor at Oncpua road failed to regulate.".