BOY OPERATES LIFT

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 208, 30 May 1936, Page 15

BOY OPERATES LIFT

Auckland Concern Fined By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, May 29. A charge of allowing a boy under 18 years of ago to operate an electric lift, a prosecution of considerable interest to business firms, was brought against the Provincial Distributing Co., Ltd., by the inspector of machinery in the Magistrate’s Court. A similar charge was brought against Hie National Mutual Life Association of Australasia, Limited, as mortgagees m possession of the building. Mr. Meredith, who represented the Inspector, said the charges were brought under the Inspection of Machinery Act, 1928, which forbade the operation of lifts by boys under 18 and girls under 20. A boy, aged 14 years, had been employed in January by the Provincial Distributing Co., Ltd., who were lessees of part of the building. The boy was operating a goods lift, which was in a defective condition and had his foot jammed. A minimum penalty of a £5 fine was imposed on the Provincial Distributing Co., Ltd., with costs totalling £1 19/-. After legal argument the charge against the National Mutual Life Association was dismissed by the magistrate on the grounds that the mortgagees were not in actual possession, that the lift was not under their power or control, and that they had no knowledge of the offence.