COAL HULK TRAMWAYS

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 702, 30 December 1909, Page 8

COAL HULK TRAMWAYS

. ARE SAFEGUARDS NECESSARY? 'THE OCEOLO FATALITY. / Yesterday morning, an inquest was conducted at tho morgue by Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., District Coroner, regarding the circumstances connected with the death of Charles Brian, a foreman ganger," who fell down tho hold of tho ulk Oceolo on Tuesday, and sustained fatal injuries. ; ' Station-Sergeant Darby appeared for the police, Mr. Fitzgibbon for the-relatives of deceased, whilo-Mr. G. G. Farland watched tho case on behalf of the Wharf Labourers' Union. Dr. Gilmer, who had been summoned to' the scene of , the accident, gave evidence as to injuries sustained. Deceased was dead when witness arrived: According to the evidence of Ernest Nicholls, a coal worker,' the deceasod was directing tho transfer of coal from tho ss. Eakanoa to the bulk Oceolo. Witness was assisting in. the operations. While ' tho preliminary task'of placing a tramway, from the steamer to tho hulk was being carried out, tho-tram slipped, and ran towards the. hulk.- Deceased attempted to get out of the,way, but was struck by the tram, and knocked over the sido of tho hatch. To the Coroner: The usual method was being followed'out in the laying of tho tramway. Witness could not say what caused the'tram ..to slip. Tho action of the sea causing both vessels to move might have been the cause. .•In answer to a question by. Sergeant Darby, witness said that evefy precaution had beenvt'aken. If a rope had been attached to the tram from the wharf, ,it might' haTe been possible.~to. have prevented tho slip. ' ; ~ , James .Bruce, second .officer of' the s.s. Eakanoa, considered ,in the course of his evidence, that ~a rope ' attached to tho ' end of the tram would lessen the danger of accident; when / fixing th'> tramway in; position.: In reply to .-'ft question by Mr. G. G. Tarlandj he stated that he did - not. think ,that the' raising of tho combings of tho hatch' would minimise the rvsk. The Oceolo was a safe hulk to work on.. ■■ • |. ■ / . Mr. Farland remarked/that at' a conference of waterside workers it had been resolveoV-to ask the Minister for Labour to provide for some',protection round open hatchways during working hours. The natch combmgs,' on;-tho ■■ Eakanoa • were nearly three feet high,'* while those on tn ° bulk were only about six inches. -Iho.Coroner did not consider the, point' to'be .relevant,;to the case; ■ wtis •. also , given by James Winter,' wharf labbnrcr,' and Mark Shannessy, hulk-keeper on the Oceolo. JP"!. Coroner, in summing lrp, said that all that could •be said of 'the- occurrence was that it iad been an. unfortunate accident, and no blame could bo.attachablo to •" The finding- would Ibe in accordance with the 'medical evidence. From' what had been elicited from the various witnesses, there : appeared 'to 'be some;reason'-for-.'suggesting that, as' a , further precaution in such operations, a ropo could bo attached:t6. the end of the tram to miriimise'any risk involved when placing tho .tramway into, position..!-' .