WATERFRONT ACCIDENTS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28747, 19 November 1958, Page 7

WATERFRONT ACCIDENTS

Minister Urges j Greater Care | (New Zealand Press Association) I GISBORNE. November 18. j The Government was concerned at the accident rate in industry—in particular, on the waterfront. where injuries were too i numerous, the Minister of Labour I ‘Mr Hackett) told the annual I conference of the North Island Waterfront Workers’ Association in Gisborne today. “It is essential that the rank and file waterside worker fully appreciates the need for safety in the handling of cargoes on the waterfront. Many accidents are due to the worker’s own carelessness.” he said. During the year ended December 31. 1957. there were more than 3000 accidents in the waterfront industry—two of them were fatal. Another fatal accident had occurred recently at Napier. While many of the accidents wen* of a minor nature, not involving absence or compensation, of a total of 6300 men on the bureau registers at New Zealand ports. 1674 suffered accidents involving absence on compensation, said Mr Hackett. "Whether reckoned in terms of personal suffering, loss of earning power, or loss of industrial efficiency, the price paid was too high." ho said. "This represents a loss of 52 hours for every worker employed in the industry, or approximately one and a half weeks lor each worker each year."

Christinas Broadcast. — The Australian actor. Peter Finch, will narrate this year’s traditional round-the-world Commonwealth feature which precedes the Queen’s Christmas Day message. The programme will be entitled "The Seekers."—London, November 15.