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Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 422, 1 May 1937, Page 6

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OVERLOADING OF CARGO GEAR Fines In Auckland Court Press Association—Copyright. Auckland, April 30. The Superintendent of Marine Affairs 'to-day prosecuted Captain G. E. ; Fox and Captain Alexander Smith. 1 The charge was that being persons engaged in cargo work, they permitted cargo gear to be loaded beyond the point of safety. There was a (further charge against Smith of using an iron ring which had not betn tested. Both defendants pleaded guilty.

Prosecutor, Mr. V. N. Hubble, explained that 'the regulations were made under the Harbours Act for the safe working of cargo on wharves. In the case of Captain Fox a tractor weighing over 18 tons wae being lifted out of the Port Denison on March 8 when it fell. Both slings and shackles were overloaded. This was not the cause of the tractor falling. It was due to the clutch in the winch gear slipping. One of the workers had a toe broken. One sling wag overloaded by (three and a half tons and the other by two and »a. half tons. The Magistrate; Mr. C. R. Orr-Walk. cr, said it was a question of safety of life, and any breach of the regulations was a serious matter. In both these cases the breach was not the cause of the accident, but nevertheless the cases were very serious; He could not understand exp rienced men (faking the risk when they knew how serious V was. Each was fined £F and otts £2 On the second charge against Captain Smith he was ordered to pay £1 10s costs.