ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1318, 22 December 1911, Page 8

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

BLATI! Of WILLIAM WKIXO.V Till; JXQUL'SJT. ■ i?i;maj:ks ur ran coronlj:. Mr. W. <:;. JtiihUll. S.M.. held an in-iiui-it at |li« hospital ve-.tercl.iv touiihijis; Ihr; death uf Williiiiii Wrixoli. «110 SUIICUIIIIICII UU TllOsdaV ;u till, result ol' an accident on (lie wharf on I'ri.hv last. Sonior Sergeant M.-itliieson iT]ie. seated Iho police. Mr. 0. (i. l-'.iiLimi .secretary of (ho Wharf Labourers' L'nion, watched the proceeding.-. Thomas James Smil.hr era He-driver, who was working at tho same hatch of the Manuka as. deceased, staled thai, :l: the time uf tho accident, Prison was :iciii!2 as liatclimau, guidins the. .-liusjs and giving general waniiui; to Ihose near bv. The accident, occurred botneen lfi .-.nd '|| o'clock in the morning. Deeffased wij m a .stoopins; position, with kh back towards a full sling, and Has asking for chaiu-slines from the wharf. tt.iv the ilins; moving in Hie direction of deceased, and called out. "Look out." Before Wriion could take waruin?, tho sling struck him, and knocked him clean off the ship's deck on to the wharf, some 12ft. about below. He seemed to 'trike the foot of the crane. Deceased was in his customary place, and witness did not think that anyone was to blame for the accident. To Mr. Farland: It had been raining. There was no protection to save a hatciiman from falling into the hold nr on to the wharf. ■ Herbert Vine, who was working the hydraulic engine on the Manuka at the time of the accident, stated that, as Le brought a full sling up, he called oat to Wrixon to look out. Then he saw that 'tho r sling had touched ' Wrixon, and ho immediately reversed both levers, and dropped the sling on the deck. The o'.hcr hatcuman called out. "Billy's gone," and witness then saw Wrixon lyiug on the wharf with his head bleeding. To the coroner: The usual position for the hatchman was as far forward of the hatch-as ho could get, and in the middle of the deck. Beceased could not have been in that position. To Mr., Farland: When ho was iu his correct position, ho probably could uot see on to tho wharf. When Wrixon was standing-in the place where he was struck,, witness could not / see him. If the hydraulic levers were raised, it would allow the man who was driving tho engino to keep the hatchman in full view. In answer lo a further question by Sergeant Mathieson, witness stated that his own position was about Oft. below tho level of the deck. : Evidence was also given by George Ellitt Priugle and John Bowdall. Ur. 11. llardwicke Smith, medical superintendent of the Wellington Hospital, described the condition of deceased when admitted to tho institution. Beath was caused by fracture of the skull and injury to the brain. The coroner's verdict was that deceased died from injuries received through being accidentally knocked on to tho wharf on December 15 by a sling of cargo from the s.s. Manuka. • Tho coroner added that no blame was attachable to. anyone, but it was clear that some steps should be taken to endeavour to more effectually safeguard those who happened to be engaged working .cargo on the ships. What form of protection should bo taken was a matter for discussion as between waterside w'orkers and their employers.

PAINFUL ACCIDENT. W. Sink, employed by the Public Works Department-, h,ad bis hand caught in tho cog-whepl of a crane yesterday, and a.- a result his fingers were badly crushed. H.ii wa» removed to the hospital. SHOT HIMSELF FATALLY. (By Telesraoli.-I'rcss Association.! Pahiatua, December 21. Win. Griffin, who shot himself in the abdomen, died at the hospital. As Griffin was in practically a dying condition wheu ho shot himself, no inquest was necessary.