WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

FACTORY ACCIDENTS.

(Special to 1 ‘Guardi.*n”.)

WELLINGTON, November 13.

In the monthly Abstract of Statistics for October just circulated, statsist.s of factory accidents recorded during the calendar year of 1021 are Aivon. The collection and compilation ~ [ these si at si lies is now carried out on a uniform scale in several countries, this bein'.; the result of an International Conference of Official Statisticians held at Geneva in 192:1. During the year under review there were m New Zealand 1979 cases of factory accidents. Injuries involving only temporary disablement and not likely to incapacitate ihe person injured for at least 48 -hours are excluded. The accidents last, year comprised 9 deaths, 80 cases oi permanent partial disability for tile, and |y;ti cases of temporary disability. There was no case ol permanent total •disability. Out of 1781 cases of temporary disability where the duration of incapacity was ascertainable there uere 110 cases where the period of absence from work was 2 days to one week, and ;123 cases where it was over one week but not in excess of 2 weeks, 101 where it was over two, but not in excess of 1 weeks, ISO where it was over I lint not in excess of 11 weeks, Kit were in was over 9 weeks but not in excess of .‘1 months, 24 where it exceeded .‘I Inrt did not exceed (i months, and I cases where it exceeded (5 months. The total period of incapacity in all these cases of temporary disability was 44,271 calender days, an average of over 19 days per accident. Of the 1979 factory accidents only -100,

or just over 2.1 per cent; were due to machinery. Eight of the machinery accidents were due to the catching of loose clothing and l.‘i to throwbacks ot wood and other objects lrom the machines. Just under one eighth of the machinery accidents were due to the adjusting of machinery, tools or work, one-tenth to cleaning and oiling

operations, and one-twentieth to Hying paitielos. As many as lil per cent ui ; all the machinery accidents were due to starting. operating or stopping; machinery. Machinery accidents appear on the average to he much more serious than other accidents. Although the machinery accidents constituted only just over one fjnarter ol all industrial accidents, they accounted for one third of the fatal accidents, and 70 out of a total of 80 accidents resulting in permanent partial disablement, flic average number of calendar days lost through temporary disability resulting from machinery accidents, was, moreover. 00 days, as against 10 for factory accidents generally. The next most prolific cause of factory accidents was the handling of tools by the persoi injured. 108 accidents so caused occurred. -II") of which were due to the glancing of the tool. As many as 973 accidents were due to falling objects which were not being handled by the person injured. Seventy, including 2 fatal. Were due to poisonous, hot and corrosive substances; 49 to the vagaries of animals. 4.4 to striking against objects; I not fatal and 2 fatal accidents to electricity. 27 to handling vehicles, 10 nun-fatal and one fatal accident due to explosions. 141 accidents, including one fatality were cjtie to strains, sprains and septic wounds sustained in the course ol slaughtering operations. There were no eases of eider asphyxiation or drowning. About 7*i per cent of flic injuries were sustained on the arms and hands, while the lower limhs accounted for 1 I per cent i .’7*l). There were 87 cases of injuries to the hack : an equal number to the lace; 3(5 to the thorax; 44 to ti e head d arn! 4) to the abdomen. Of the total of 1979 accidents, 8(5 occurred in females. -MOin-OAOKS AMI TKAN.SKKHS. for the ;ix m.outlm elided September li'.lth the mortgages numbered 24.874 and the amount was (.’2(5.709.414. The bulk of the mortgage business is done 111 the North Island, for, of the total amount registered the North Island was responsible or !_'ls, 189,219. and the South Island for £.'8,920.098. Of the mortgages raised in the North Island the Wellington aqcl Auckland districts accounted for 1*14,119,(574, leaving an exceedingly small amount for Hawke’s liny, Poverty Hay. and Taranaki. Ol the mortgages registered in Hie South Island. Canterbury, with 14.897,949, secures the' largest proportion. Marlborough gets II .249,930, Southland 11,182,841 and Westland

<-'•18.701. The* mortgages discharged during the !i months numbered -'0,701 lur £19,0-10,033, and ni tin's amount the discharges in the North Island tuialleil £ 13,809, 180, Wellington and Auckland being responsible for the hulk of the amount, and the South Island accounted for £0.771). M 7, Canlerhurv being responsible lor C2, Ki 1.3J9. For the 12 months ended .‘tilth September the mortgages registered nuuihered against Jl,;;83 in the previous year, and the amount of the mortgages registered £‘10,105,132. whkh contrasts with C 12,0.'ii ,387 in the previous year. This shows a substantial increase. 'I be discharges numbered d 0,117 against 30/133, and the amounts were £35,001 ,«00 and ,£20,001,286 respectively. The transfers of land for the six months shows that 13.220 town and suburban properties changed hands the consideration being £8,997,-

(RU. against 14.080 transfers for 99.184,0 >4. 4be country properties transferred numbered 11 f or Cl 0,007, 7.99 as compared with 4100 transfers for £8,079.410, the totals being 18.04,4 transfers for C 19,00.1,424 against 17.010 transfers for £l7 004 - 109.