ELECTRIFIED LINE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 34, 3 November 1933, Page 12

ELECTRIFIED LINE

Auckland Inquest Verdict REMARKS BY CORONER By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, November 2. A verdict that death was due to an electric shock and fatty degeneration of the heart was returned by the coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the inquest concerning the death of Caroline Lilian Mason, who died on October 12. Mrs. Mason was found lying in the backyard of her home. She had been hanging out clothes. Stephen Langridge, overseer for the Public Works Department, said he examined the premises occupied by Mrs. Mason. In the back room he found a small wireless set fitted with headphones and arranged for connecting with the lighting socket by a length of flex and lamp holder adapter. Direct connection with a 1-20 cotton-covered wire had been made between the clothes line in the backyard to the terminal of part of the wireless set. This terminal was also connected to the end of the flex cord and the lamp holder adapter. Full voltage was obtainable between the clothes line and the earth when the adapter was inserted in the lighting socket. \ A neighbour, Effie Cant, said that when she went to Mrs. Mason’s assistance she received an electric shock through touching the clothes line, and her arm ached for a considerable time afterwards. David Kennedy, baker’s agent, said he found the deceased lying on her back with a wet blanket hanging from the clothes line partly across her arm. When he touched the clothes line he received a shock. Dr. Gilmour, pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, said he found two burns on deceased’s left arm. His opinion was that death was caused by electric shock and fatly degeneration of the heart. The coroner said that he did not think there was any need for him to add a rider as sufficient publicity had been given hy the authorities and Power Board concernihg "illegal interference with electric equipment. He added, however, that he was given to understand that at schools there were classes conducted by social welfare people at which pupils were instructed in the art of making model aeroplanes and wireless sets. He expressed the strong hope that the pupils would be severely cautioned i'ot to touch or interfere with electric lighting plant in any way.