WATERFRONT ACCIDENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 228, 14 June 1918, Page 7

WATERFRONT ACCIDENTS

COMMISSION- SITS AT DUNEDIN. By Telegraph.—Press. Aeeociatioii. Dunedin, Juno 13, 'i'ho 'Waterfront Accidents. Commijssion sat at Imnediu to-day- uud completed the evidence of the l'ort Chalmers Workers, also of the Ul'iift' watereidere, who caiue specially to give evidence. Oi\e witness stated that an improved system of inspection on tho waterfront elipuld include i)is|>ection of ships' Jiplda prior to produce/ being stored iu them, ile quoted an instanco in which he saw twgnty-l'oui , rats killed, in a hold which was half-full of cheese. •

Another \vitiioss urged daily inspection of the gear as an additional factor of safety. '

Captain -Thomson, harbourmaster, agreed that all gear of ships, hulks, and harbour boards (Should be inspected by a competent Government inspector.

William Smith, in charge of the Union Company's Industrial .Department, aaid the company kept a record of all accident in iU service on tlje waterfront. year there wore 19 accidents at cargo working iu Dunedin, or one in every vi'ili men employed.. At Port Chalmers there were two accidents at cargo working, representing one to every G5Bl men employed. There wore 11 accidents at repair work at Port Chalmers, representing qne to every 559 men employed. The company's accidents at flunedin and Port Chalmers.totalled 85. The witness quoted statistics to show that the percentage of street and- railway accidents in Britain was greater than the percentage* of accidents on (lie waterfronts in the Dominion. ' ' '

Captain Corbott, foreman stevedore for .Totin Mill and Co., said that last year hie firm .had 13 accidents, an average of oho t'ot every 154 men employed, or one for every 5431 tons handled. The witness illustrated a suggestion for putting 'on or taking off the beams of hatches. :

John Edward Galbraith, superintendent stevedore for tlie Shaw Savill Co., said that lust year the company had three accidents, or one to every 3310 ineu employed., or one. to every 11,939 tons handled. There was plenty of gear, all , supplied to tho ships in England. Ho had noticed Government inspectors on 'board, but doubted their authority, as the gear had boon passed by the Hoard of Trade.