CAPTAINS FINED

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22081, 1 May 1937, Page 9

CAPTAINS FINED

OVERLOADING CARGO GEAR (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, April 30. The Superintendent of Marine today prosecuted Captain G. E. Fox and Captain Alexander Smith, who were charged 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 been tested. Both the defendants pleaded guilty. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr V. N. Hubble, explained tfiat regulations were made under the Harbours Act for the safe working of cargo on wharves. In the case of Captain Fox a tractor weighing more than 18 tons was being lifted out of the Port Denison on March 8 when it fell. Both the slings and the shackles were overloaded. This was not the cause of the tractor falling. It was caused by the clutch of the winch gear slipping. One of the workers had a toe broken. One sling was overloaded three tons, and the other two and a half tons. The . Magistrate (Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M.) said that it was a question of the safety of life. Any breach of the regulations was serious. In both these cases the breach was not the cause of the accident, but nevertheless the cases were very serious. He could not understand experienced men taking the risk when they knew how serious it was. Each defendant was fined £5 and ordered to pay costs, £2. On the second charge against Captain Smith he was ordered to pay costs amounting to £1 10s.