SAFETY MEASURES IN PRISON QUARRY

Chronicle (Levin), 21 October 1947, Page 5

SAFETY MEASURES IN PRISON QUARRY

Press Association)

(Per

AUCKLAND, Oct. 20. Supcrvision in tlie quarry at tlie Auckland, Prison was tlie subject of a protest by prisoners following an aceidont on Friday wlicn Stanlev Tliomas Port, agcd 21, .sun'crcd fatal iujuries in a tall lioui a clijf i'ace on to tlie lioor of l In- quarry. This was confirmed in u tclcplionc conversation with tlie llerald by AI r D. L. Dallard, Controller in General of Prisons, wlio said tlie prisoners liad returned to work after receiving ass-iuuin-cs that adequate safety precaut ioiis were practi.sod in the cjuarry. When the jirisoners were marehed out to recominence work in the quarry after the accident on Friday aftemoon, they jirotested that there sliould be at least two certilicated nien in cliarge of tlie work, said AJr Dallard. The acting superintendent was called to the scene and pointed out that there were two certilicated nien in charge. Alost oi' the prisoners were tlien satislied that reasonable precautions were lieing exen-ised by tlie iiuthorities. Three of tlie meii tried to urge the otliers not to retuni to work iiut there was 110 i'urtlier trouble. The tliree men were takeu back to the prison building. "The acting superintendent handled the situation niost taetfully, " ad'ded Alr Dallard. "L expected a telephone call i'roni liim today if there was any i'urtlier botlier but there has apparently beeu iione. " Alr Dallard added that the aeeident 011 Friday was oue that could happen in "the best regulated families." Life lines and body belts were issued to tlie men working in the prison quarry. According to a prisoner working beside Port, deceased had - not attached his rope to his belt when he was engaged in tearing down nietal. A jiiece of falling rock had struek him on tlie liand, causiug him to loosen his grip on the rope and fall to the quarry floor. "It was pure misadventure," concluded Arr Dallard. "An anibulance was summoned iinmediately to take deceased to tlie hospital and everything possible was done*for him. "