PERCUSSION CAP FIRED

Southland Times, Issue 22949, 23 July 1936, Page 12

PERCUSSION CAP FIRED

INQUEST INTO GIRL’S DEATH AMMUNITION FACTORY EXPLOSION (United Press Association ! Auckland, July 22. The opinion that some action of the deceased resulted in the firing of a percussion cap, and that the explosion occurred on account of the use of a type of cap that had since been determined to be subject to explosion in mass, was expressed by Mr R. M. Girling Butcher, Chief Inspector of Explosives, when giving evidence at an inquest into the death of Patricia Marion Clifford, aged 18, who was killed in an explosion in the Mount Eden factory of the Colonial Ammunition Company, Limited, on June 4. The inquest was continued before Mi - W. R. McKean, S.M. Various experiments comparing the caps in use with the ordinary caps used fox- military ammunition were described by Mr Butcher. These showed that, whereas all caps in use exploded in a body, only very few of the military caps ignited. The result of the explosion showed that the deceased must have been standing by the work-bench, witness continued. It was not possible to determine the immediate cause of the ignition of the first percussion cap, but, in his opinion, most likely it was the striking of a percussion cap a glancing blow between tw. trays. “In my opinion the explosion occurred at the assembly bench, and was due to some action by the deceased, which resulted in the firing of a cap,” he said. “Under - normal conditions, this would not have been followed by an explosion in mass, the latter being ' due to the use of a type of cap which ! has since been determined to be sub- I ject to explosion in this way under- all conditions.”

Caps Not Tested

Examined by Sub-Inspectox - Scott, witness said that the class of caps involved had been imported practically only this year. They were not tested in England fox - safety, and so came into the country without test. He had received a cablegram from the High Commissioner (Six’ James Parr) stating that caps of this type had been imported into Britain from Germany without licence, as the manufacturers had given a certificate stating that they complied with the regulations. The High Commissioner had said that the matter was now being investigated. The caps certainly did not comply with British requirements, but they had been regarded as doing so. Had it not been for the accident, witness would have been inclined to accept the certificate of the makers, a company of standing. The Colonial Ammunition Company was j not in any way to blame in assuming that the caps were of a standard de- | scription, although there was, of course, a technical breach of the regulations, as the caps did not comply with the British specification. “My duty is to find the cause of death and that is simple,” said Mr McKean. “Death was due to multiple injuries, caused by the explosion. It would be my duty, also, if there were any obvious defect or neglect by the company, to refer to that. The company has been just as anxious as anyone to ascertain the real cause.”

To ascertain exactly what had happened was impossible, and one had to make certain assumptions, he said. Mr Butcher had made a number- of experiments, and he had no reason foxdisagreeing with the conclusions reached. The explosion undoubtedly occurred when the deceased was by the assembly bench. A number of explosions had occurred in the machine when it was first installed and was being operated by the superintendent, but the trouble had been rectified before it had been handed over to a girl operator and it had since been operated without trouble.

No Defect in Machine. “I don’t think there was any defect in the machine, as, after the explosion, undischarged caps were found in each compartment of it,” he said. “It seems highly improbable that the explosion commenced in the machine.”

The explosion could have been caused only by some slight accident in the handling of the trays containing the caps, said the Coroner. It had been established now that the type of cap used was more sensitive than the company had been in the habit of using. They had been imported on the certificate of a reputable company, but it would appear that they did not comply with the regulations. That did not mean that they were unsafe to use, only that some different method of handling them must be devised. He could not find that there had been any defect in the machine or plant of the company, nor did he think that there was anv want of care, as far as the company was concerned to see that the employees were instructed. They knew that there was a certain amount of danger, and warning was given to any employee whose duty it was to do work of this kind.