More Children Died On Farms

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31081, 9 June 1966, Page 18

More Children Died On Farms

While the number of tractor deaths on New Zealand farms declined last year more children died, Mr M. T. Rusk told the annual conference of the New Zealand Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs last evening. He reported from the agricultural advisory committee of the National Safety Association.

Farm fatalities had de creased last year, Mr Rusk said. Fifty-eight persons had been killed, which was six fewer than in the previous year, but 58 was still too many. The improvement had come mainly in the tractor accident field with deaths falling from 34 to 28. “The tractor aspect has been of great concern—almost every second fatality is found under a tractor. That this total had decreased after the disastrous rise two years ago is encouraging, but hardly a reason for relaxation.

“The campaign for safety frames must be stepped up if the figures are not to rise with increased mechanisation.

“Of the 28 tractor deaths, 35 per cent occurred in the South Island.

“This is disturbing because for many years the South Island had a much lower rate than the North. Recently the numbers have crept up and are now on a par (the South Island has 37 per cent of tractor numbers).” Child Deaths

Mr Rusk said that there had been an increase in child deaths from 18 to 21. This was a loss that the country and farming could not afford and it could be prevented Proof of this was contained in the success of the campaign to guard sheep dips. Child drawings in 1963 had been nine compared with seven in 1964 and six last year. A successful campaign had

been conducted on the covering of sheep digs and this year Hie effort had been aimed at encouraging immunisation against tetanus. The next project was to increase the use of protective equipment in farm work—from safety frames down to steel toecaps. Fatalities were only part of the picture, said Mr Rusk. More than 8000 farm people had suffered minor accidents last year—minor only in that they mostly ended up in hospital and not in a mortuary.