ACCIDENTS ON WHARVES.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1918, Page 2

ACCIDENTS ON WHARVES.

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, May 2J. Robert Storey Walton, Master Mariner, local Marine Superintendent for the Union Company, said there was an annual inspection of gear and constant supervision in various ways. Witness did not know any cases of slin«s carrying away. Frank Jelly, Superintendent of stevedores for the New Zealand Shipping Co., said that in the last two years he knew of no accidents to any of the men through defective gear. Reports of defective gear were welcomed, but in many cases the complaints were trivial. John Currie, labor foreman to the Union Co., said Inspectors were very particular. Questioned as to the lighting of the holds, witness replied he was sorry to say the holds were not sufficiently lighted, and the wharves were worse. He expressed the opinion that a brake was needed on the winches, Matthew Barr, tawtttti engineer to the Union Co., said he found the winches on the hulks in good order. Asked if he thought if the inspection of machinery was under one head, say the Murine Department, it would be better for all concerned, witness said: No, he didn.'t see that it would. The Commission adjourned till tomorrow. Giving evidence before the Commission of Tnnuirv into Accidents on Wharves, Mr Nicholls, secretary of the Wellington Harbor Board, stated that during the last 18 months there had been no accidents on the Wellington wharves owing to faulty gear. There had been 214 accidents in that period, 81.3 per cent, of which entailed nn absence from work of three weeks and under. From 1007 to 1917 there had been no increase }n the percentage of accident*

to engagements. li. VMS tli6 average rate of accident pay was £4 5s 2d, and for the past six months it was £3 17sDuring the past ten years there had bees only four fatal accidents. Captain Dawson, harbormaster, said he thought it would be an advantage" to al« concerned if the work of inspection was carried out by one authority, and' the harbor regulations should be revised and consolidated-