THE UPPER HUTT FIRE.

West Coast Times, 18 April 1914, Page 1

THE UPPER HUTT FIRE.

magisterial enquiry

GELIGNITE IX THE BUILDING

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.]

WELLINGTON, April 17. The inquest on Hie victims of the Ljiper Hutt explosion was resumed to<lav.

Among the wit nows who gave evidence was Heritor! Pratt, a partner in Hie tirm of Benge and Pratt; whose store was .destroyed. Ho stated that the firm stocked blasting powder, gelignite, sporting cartrigos, flasks of hlack powder and detonators. They never iiad in stock in ire than one case of gelignite. On the day of the fire there was tw„ pounds of blasting powder in the store, hut there, was no gelignite that lie knew of about and he did not think there could be any without Ids knowledge. The firm purchased the last case of gelignite on the Oth February.

Pratt, further examined, said that ho had endeavoured to trace sales of oOlbs of gelignite during March, but the only trace of the- sales were two men. The gelignite was usually sold over the counter and no entries were keut. Tie presumed that the whole 501bs was t-ohl. The bonks showed that between 12th September and sth February SOlbs were sold. After the Gth February C ]-Glijs were sold. Other sales in the latter period might bo in the burnt hooks. Witness held no license to stock explosives. The luncheon adjournment was then taken.