WATERSIDER’S DEATH

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 128, 23 February 1921, Page 6

WATERSIDER’S DEATH

PORT NICHOLSON FATALITY FOOT CAUGHT IN A STEEL ROPE The adjourned inquest concerning the death of Joseph P. Hansley, a watersider, bo years of age, at the Hospital on Feb' ruary 12 following injuries received on tho s.s. Port Nicholson, was concluded yesterday by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M. Sergeant if'Kelvie represented the police, Mr. G. Watson appeared for the Commonwealth and Dominion Co., the owners of the Port Nicholson. Mr. P J. O’Kegan for the relatives of the deceased, and Mr. T. Neave for Gannaway and Co., stevedores, by whom the deceased had been employed. James Fitzuiaurice, foreman for Gannaway and Co., said that the deceased habeen engaged to work on the Port Nichol son. He was working at No. 4 hatch They were engaged raising tho derrick and Kangley was holding the rope feeding the winch drum; his duty was to keep the rope on the drum. Witness saw the bight come off the drum, and called out, and Ransley was caught by the wire and thrown five or six feet forward. The derrick was held about 3ft. on the deck. The gear was all in good order. After Ransley was removed, witness anft the same wdnehmen raised the derrick. To Mr. Neave: Everything was carried out in a proper way. To Mr. : Gannaway. and Co. wortworking the ship’ by contract. The gea. was the finest ho had seen on a ship in Wellington. To Mr. There was about 30ft. of slack rone behind the winch When the accident happened. With lour turns oa the winch the man hauling on the ropo would have to keep a strain on the rope to keep it coming off the drum. Ransley was handling a steel rope, and there wer». no kinks in it. A second man behind Ransley could not have prevented the rope slipping off the drum. To Mr. Watson: Ransley was a good worker, and had worked at similar jobs cd many occasions. Ue had never a request to have a second man behind him. A ... Thomas E. Kerr, watersider, said t e was working on the Port Nicholson on the morning of the accident. He saw the derrick fall;' Ransley’s left leg was torn off The wire was coiled round the leg. To Mr. O’Regan: There was no doubt that the bight of the rope caused the accident. He was of opinion that one of the coils on the deck got round Ransley’s le, fo Mr. Watson: Ransley was one of tilt best men on the waterfront for the class of work he was doing. The gear was iu perfect order. . Raphael Gomez said he was working the winch on the date in question. Witness did not see tho accident, but saw Ransley being dragged. To Mr. Hunt: There was no chance of his having put the winch on the wrong ll Mr.' O'Regan, addressing the Court, said he was quite satisfied that there was no negligence on the part of anyone. He would, however, like to hear the opinions of James Laurcnson, assistant secretary of the Waterside Workers' Union. James Laurenson, who was not sworn, said that it was customary among seamen to have two men at the work set Ransley, but was not done under stevedoring conditions. With the aid of a rrodel which he had constructed he explained the work in topping a derrick. The gear on the .Port Nicholson, he said, was tne safest or any ship that came into port, but he considered that there was danger in the manner in which it was placed and handled. , . , Mr. O’Regan said that the evidence showed that the risk of accident would, have been greatly reduced had two men been employed at the work, and he hoped the Coroner would- add a rider to that efiect. Mr. Watson remarked that it would be very undesirable to add the rider suggested by Mr. O’ltegan as the matter was one for experts. The Coroner found “that Ransley died at the Wellington Hospital on February 12, the cause of death being pneumonia, following severe injuries received on the Port Nicholson while engaged in taking the cable of the drum on the winch when bv some means the cable slipped off the drum, and a coil of the slack rope,wound round his left leg, tearing the foot off.