UPPER HUTT EXPLOSION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1, 22 April 1914, Page 6

UPPER HUTT EXPLOSION.

FURTHER EVIDENCE. ■ .. i {Pan Press Association.] Wellington, April' 22. The Upper Hutt fire inquiry was continued. Dr. MacLaurin, Dominion Analyst and Chief Inspector of Explosives,said he examined -the spots on the clothing submittal to him. The spots contained a metallic substance, probably some kind of polish; they were-cer-tainly not carbide. The effects bf the explosion were more consistent with gelignite explosion than an acetylene one. No-large quantity of t-cetylene could have been presents He did not think acetylene could have caused the damage. Mr .Morisori, appearing for Bengo .i nd Pratt, owners of the. store desiroyed, asked: Ale you aware that the average' laborer, will, put geliguite in a fire and burn it. Witness: Yes, arid in many cases get blown' up. Continuing, ' witness snid there had been several cases' in Now Zealand and many in the Old Country. Replying to further questions, Dr. MacLaurin sa,id ten or fifteen lbs arid over would form a violent explosion. The enquiry is proceeding. Men had certainly been badly shattered by acetylene explosions in the oast. The damage in this case was consistent with an ecteylene explosion. The chief circumstances in favor of a gelignite, explosion were the shattering of timber and the collapse of the floor.