THE CITY MORGUE. FIRES IN SYDNEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7147, 11 July 1901, Page 3

THE CITY MORGUE.

FIRES IN SYDNEY.

REMARKS BY DOCTOR AND CORONER.

At the inquest on Mrs Caroline Kennell yesterday, Dr William Diamond, after giving 'his evidence,- drew the attention of the Coroner to the extreme difficulty of making a full and proper post-mortem examination, in meh cramped and unsuitable quarters as thoss provided in an hotel. "Mr Bishop said that the complaint was an old one, and that it seemed no on&'s business to provid« a proper morgue. •He believed' one -was now in .process of erection, but it was not available yet. Dr Diamond said that some day a case might arise when it would be a matter of the first importance that the examination should be a complete one, as when there were faint traces of poison, and he hoped, something wculd be done " shortly. THE PRESENT 'POSITION. In consequence of 'the remarks of Dr Diamond, -a representative of the "Star" this morning endeavoured to find out the exact position' in AvLich the mewly-ereeted corporation morgue stood, and 1 when, it would be available for -use. The Town Clerk, upon being applied to, stated that the morgue was now completed and ready for use, and that had the police, on Wednesday, applied for it 1 , it would have been placed ait their disposal in connection with the case referred to above. Wiia the exception! of a small amount which was kept in !hand for contingencies, the contractor, Mr W. Smith, had received his finsi payment for the work. Mr S. Hurst Sesger, the architect for the building, had called' at the City Council office that morning, and informed the Town, Clerk that the keys had' been left at the corporation' yard, and our representative could get itlhem there, and look through the place.

Inspector Ellison, upon, being seen on the matter, stated' ■ that although he had seen it mentioned in the newspapers that the Council was . «recting a morgue, he knew nothing of ifche matter officially, and: until he -was informed that the morgue was ready for use, and under what conditions the police could take bodies there, he would be unable to issue the necessary instructions to his staff (for taking advantage OX.3t. • ,

Dr Syones, we public health officer, was this morning endeavouring to arrange for the supply of a temporary table on which to do -the dissecting until the special anatomical "weighing table-, which is in course of construction, is completed, iue doctor points out that it will be necessary for some person to be appointed to look after the moTgue, arcd that it will be necessary to 'have a small contingent fund to pay for the up-keep and the incidental expenses in connection with postmortems. His suggestion is that, as under the Public Health Act, each local body is compelled to provide a morgue, that the surrounding boroughs, instead of doing so, should send a".l the cases to 'the city morgue, and 1 pay .a sum of say £1 for each case.

The morgue itself is a somewhat pretentious building of brick, with very high pitched roof. Running along the greater portion of the front is a long enclosed verandah. From this double doors lead into a chamber 21ft x 12ft, which is provided with a couple of concrete slabs for laying out bodies, and 1 over each slab is a water spray so <that the bodies can be kept coal. . At tho back of this is the dissecting room, 21ft x 13ft. In this is a" concrete bath, about 3ft deep for dealing with bodies in am advanced stage of decomposition. The bath will be fiiled with a disinfectant-, and by means of a tray which is worked by a windlass hoist the bodies can be immersed to any depth required. There are also date slabs on which to do the more minute dissecting work, and these are fitted with a high pressure water supply and enamelled- ware tubs, while a gas geyser is also fitted up far supplying hob water. The floors of both these rooms are of concrete, and' all drainage is connected with the main sewers. The rooms are extremely well lighted. At the north end of the building ig the inquest room, 20ft x,lsft, and at the rear are the usual offices.

At the present time there is no* furniture of any kind in the place, and although bodies could be received there, the*® is no accommodation for dissecting them, or for holding inquests. ' »

THE CONFLAGRATION AT HORDERNS EMPORIUM. IMMENSE DAMAGE DONE. . ANOTHER FIRE. A TRIBUTE TO THE FIRE BRIGADES. ' United Press Association— >Ey Electrio Telegraph— Copyright. (Received July 11, 9.35 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 11. Mr Hbrdern estimates that stock valued at £500,000 was destroyed. The total damage has not been stated yet. Messrs Hordern have secured the Exhibition Building, in Prince Alfred Park, and will re-start business this morning. In the Kent Street fire, the premises of Messrs Lazarus and Rosenfeldt, generalmerchants, adjoining, were damaged by water. The fire brigades did splendid work at bdth outbreaks. The head of the D-epart-ment declares that they would have done much better but for the fact that they were under-engined and under-manned. Another extensive ' early-m<orning fire gutted five out of six floors in a s!x-storied building, occupied by the Imperial Manufacturing Company, in Kent Street, containing a large of tea and food stuffs. The damage is estimated at several thousands sterling, and considerable damage was done by water.