WATERSIDE ACCIDENTS COMMISSION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 5 June 1918, Page 4

WATERSIDE ACCIDENTS COMMISSION

:— By Telegraph-Press Association . ■. , . Napier, ,Tunp 6. lhe Waterside Accidents Commission •sat,here to-day. Captain White-Parsons, harbourmaster, in Ins evidence stated that there should be Government insoection of lightering gear monthly instead of once a year as at present. Mr. Kenny, Harbour Board secretary, said there had been eight minor accidents here in two years and a half, but none ivns serious. None was due to defective' gear. If the board took over the wnolo of the work in port a better sysYm could bo provided. William Beebe 1 sa'd tho men were handling less cargo per hour now than Uiey did three or four years ago. Mr. -Eaton, shipping ,'ompany's foreman, knew of no accident due to defective gear. Capt. Allen, foreman for tho Richardson Company, thought (he local lighters <litl not carry sufficient life-saving appliances; There was uo tendenoy to overload. He knew of no accident due to defective fear. Mr. Wallace, Richardson Company's superintendent, said all the firm's vessels had 4ho necessary life-saving equipment. GOVERNMENT INSPECTION OP ALL GEAR ADVOCATED. (By Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) Napier, June 1. Some interesting cviaenci; was adduced at to-day's Napier sitting of <he Waterside Commission. All the witnesses wore I emphatic in regard to tho Government' taking over the inspection of all genr on ships and wharves, including that belonging to harbour boards. Tile wharfinger at the Napier breakwater gave evidence as to the' average rate of discharge of general cargo from vessels having Decreased by two or three tons per hour. In contra to this, James M'Loay, manager for Richardson and Co., said, when examined by Mr. Roberts, that it was because n .sufficient number of ■ waterside workers were not available that work was not as efficient as formerly. Evidence' was also given indicating that the lighters at Napier are iusuflicicatly supplied with life-saving appliances, Captain Allou still adhering to this assertion when cautioned by tho chairman (tho lion. T. M. Wilford), who characterised this statement as very serious.

In regard to precautionary : measures against accidents, expert witnesses almost without exception, favoured thij Government issue of a table stating the load limit on various types of ropes. The question of the ellieiency of winches was roughly handled, evidence tending to show that they arc nearly always in a more or iess inefficient condition,, with brakes incapable of stopping the drum wbon tho sling was loaded. One expert said an engineer would not drive the average winch at the customary speed because he would know what was going on inside.