A RECENT FATALITY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 97, 18 January 1919, Page 8

A RECENT FATALITY

VERDICT AND A RIDER. . : By. Telegraph—Press Association. , Christchurch, January 17. 'At tile inquost concerning the death of AV. J. Chapman, who died of injuries received at .Lyttelton on December 19 by a boat from tho steamer Rosamond falling-on him, a verdict was ■returned to that effect, with tho following rider added: (a) That at tho time of the accident thero was on tho ship, the owner pf which is the Union ■ Steam Ship Company, ! a lifeboat slung on davits, the rc-leasiffg gear of which had been'imfastencd, thus rendering the position of the boat oivtlie davits insecure; (b) that whilst the releasing gear- was in this imperfect condition an employee of tlie eaid company, unskilled in the mechanism of davits and their releasing gear, was placed to ■work in tho said boat; (c) that whilst the boat was thus hanging insecurely in the davits the deceased and other workmen of the company were passing to and fro under tho boat to tho knowledge of their foreman; it fell from the davits with violence, and injured the deceased, and in consequence of such injuries he died; (d) that the falling of such boat was caused partly by the unsafe conditions of the releasing gear and the unwitting action of the said employee in striking it" with his back when rising from his work in the said boat.