LICENSES FOR LIFTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 170, 20 July 1935, Page 13

LICENSES FOR LIFTS.

DEPARTMENT CRITICISED.

COMMENT AT INQUEST.

(By Telegraph.—Frcss Association.)

WELLINGTON, Friday.

Strong criticism of the methods used by the Marine Department in the licensing of lifts in city buildings was expressed by Mr. O. C. Mazengarb at an inquest held to-day into the death of Gordon Sims, an electrical apprentice, aged 17A, was killed through being crushed between a lift and the wall of the shaft in Magnus Motors building.

Mr. Mazengarb, who appeared for the parents of deceased, subjected the inspector of machinery for the Marine Department to a lengthy cross-examin-ation on the fact that the lift had been operated without a license since April or May, and expressed the opinion that it was perfectly scandalous that lifts in Wellington went unlicensed for two or three months solely because the Department could not get round the city 111 An electrician explained that all except the ground-floor gates of the lift were electrically controlled. The "■round-floor gates operated vertically and rose or dropped as the lift descended or ascended. Judging by the position of deceased it appeared that ho had stepped into the lift as it started to ascend and was knocked down by the gate as it dropped into position. A verdict was returned that dcccasc<i was fatally injured by being crushed when attempting to enter a goods lift in motion. The, coroner said the litt machinery was passe:! by an expert man, and were ordinary care taken it would not be dangerous.