AUTHORITY OF FACTORY INSPECTORS

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 41, 16 August 1918, Page 8

AUTHORITY OF FACTORY INSPECTORS

Failure to recognise the authority of Mr. ]?. Wilson as inspector under the Factories Act led to a charge of refusing to allow an inspector to enter his office being preferred against A. Goodwill at the Magistrate's Court this morning. The Inspector gave evidence that he called in at the defendant's premises in Farish-Btreot with the intention of examining the heating arrangements of the office and also the sanitary conveniences. Goodwill, who carried on business as an engineer and steel and oil merchant, not only refused to allow him to inspect the office, but went further, and pushed him outside. Witness returned later with a constable, and Goodwill again refused, saying that the premises were not a factory, and therefore witness had no right to enter them. This, however, witness explained in the course of his evidence, was a wrong conception, for there, was. no such gazetted officer as an Inspector! of Shops and Offices; an Inspector of Factories had power to examine offices. Finally defendant allowed witness to go over the premises. "The defendant," remarked Mr. S. E. M'Oarthy, S.M., "apparently looked upon, the inspector as other people look upon microbes—something unnecessary about the place, but apparently he was misled by the idea that an Inspector of Factories had nothing to do with offices." A fine of £2 and 9s coats whs imposed.