Mr. F. A. Hazeland, Police Magistrate, returned the following verd to the Cochrane Street house collapse The evidence in t does not disclose what was the immediate cause of the collapse of No. 32 and No. 34, Cochrane Street, on the night of the 11th of August, 1901, The following conditions and circumstances in my opinion probably contributed to the said collapse (1) The existence of a blacksmith's shop on the ground floor of No. 32, Street. It was proved in evidence that bration has a tendency to weaken the walls of a house. rane Street, was a cockloft used by the tenant, who was a contractor, for storing beams and planks.
(8) The defective construction of the party wall between No. 32 and No. 34, Cochirane Street. It was proved in evidence that the said party wall was badly bonded, and that the heart of the said wall was hollow and filled up with pieces of bricks.
(4) The existence of an extra storey, which was put on eat of the said houses six or seven months prior to the collapse.
(5) That the showery weather prior to to the collapse, hot one hour and then a shower, would have caused a considerable contraction and expansion of the material, and, acting on the old walls, would have considerably tended to the collapse.
(6) That there was a deviation by the owner from the approved plans while altering the said two houses, the principal deviation being the building of an arch instead of a wall and the total absence of internal cross walls.
Putting myself in the position of a coroner's jury, I make the following suggestions or riders (a) That the existence of blacksmiths' shops under tenements should be probibit-
(by That all cocklofts used for storing heavy material be also prohibited.
That all buildings or work under the Building Ordinance be carried out under the superintendents of a European architect.
(d) That the provisions of Section 72 of the Building Ordinance. which casts upon the Director of Public Works the responsibility and duty of approving only of such alterations and additions to old work or dings as will render the building, with the said alterations and additions, absolute: ly safe (except in cases where the whole of such wark or buildings, including the old portion of the structure, when completed, complies with the provisions of the Ordinance) be carried strictly into effect.
(e) That the provisions of Section 75 of the Building Ordinance, which casts upon the Director of Public Works or officers deputed by him the imperative duty of entering, inspecting and surveying every building work in progress, for securing the duc observance of the provisions of the Ordinance, be carried strictly into effect.
(f) That the staff of the Public Works Department at present employed to carry out the provisions of the Building Ordinance is sufficient, and ought to be increased without delay.—Hongkong Daily
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.