DANGER OF DETONATORS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1923, Page 1

DANGER OF DETONATORS

Arising out of a mining ease, heard in the Arbitration Court, at West port, oil Tuesday, says the Westport “News", the President, Judge Fraser, emphasised the danger of handling detonators, even seemingly dead ones. His Honor said there was hardly a coroner who hail not lmd detonator eases to deal with and time without number warnings had been given against tampering with these dangerous objects. They had cases of men working on roads and leaving detonators lying about and children coining along and handling them, generally with the loss of fingers or more serious injuries. For general information. His Honor said a detonator was like an empty pea-rille carlridge. If aiiy one did see due lying about and lifted it up ho should he very careful with it. as Mr Fletcher. Mine Manager at Slo-dtlon was. no had it wiaped up in cotton. They should give it into safe custody. The public should he gravely warned against monkeying with, detonators. Children who picked them ii]) usually pricked them with a pin and had to pay the penalty. They contained a small quantity of fulminate of mercury, a very dangerous substance Mini usually blew the detonator to smi-th-.ecus. taking with it. In the ease "1 careless handling, fingers or doing other damage. AVitli regard to dead or used detonators, it was better for all • practical purposes to treat- them as not existing, on the lines of Dickens, “There are. no such persons.” It was well to draw the attention of the public to the danger of detonators. Sometimes schoolmasters gave lessons on the dangers of picking up these apaprently empty ritlo cartridges, and especially of pricking them with a pin or pencil or applying heat to them. This danger should he frequently emphasised in the public interest.