WORKER’S DEATH.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 August 1922, Page 4

WORKER’S DEATH.

WIDOW AWARDED DAMAGES FALL FROM BUILDING. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. At the Supreme Court a jury awarded £1750 damages in an action by Margaret Catherine C. Moore, on behalf of herself and her children, against Norman Taylor, trading as John Henderson and Co., house decorators, for £3OOO damages on account of the death of her husband, Walter Bramwell Moore, one of four workmen killed by the collapse of scaffolding at Endean’s Buildings on February 1. Of the amount awarded £5OO was for the children. The issues to the jury and the answers were:— Was the scaffolding as erected reasonably fit for the purpose for which it was used? —No. Did defendant or his employees exercise reasonable care and skill (a) in the selection of the material used, and (b) in the erection of the material supplied? —No. Did defendant comply with the provisions of the Scaffolding Act? — No. If not, did the accident result from such failure?—lt is impossible to say. Did the scaffolding inspector, in fact, pass the scaffolding, although no certificate under the Act was given?—Yes. The jury, in a rider, drew the attention of the Government to the neglect of the Labor Department in enforcing the provisions of the Scaffolding Act, and asked that only competent men be appointed to the position of inspector of scaffolding. It was suggested suitable life-saving appliances should be installed for the safety of workmen and the public on all work carried out over fifteen feet in height.