CIRCULAR SAWS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 111, 7 November 1923, Page 6

CIRCULAR SAWS

SAFETY DEVICES

IMPROVING PRESENT REGULATIONS.

With a view to providing further means for the protection of workers in sawmills, a Commission was set up some months ago to hear' evidence in various centres and report to the Minister of Marine. Two sittings have been held in the Auckland district, and the hearing of local evidence was commenc,e,d to-days at ;the. Magistrate's Courthouse. The inquiry is being conducted under "The Inspection of Machinery Act, 1908," into questions arising out of a fatal accident which occurred at Rooses timber mill, Mercer The principal subject of investigation is the method of protection afforded to workers engaged in working circular saws inei Commission consists of Messrs. E; C. Cutten (chairman) and Charles Nees'. In the absence of the chairman, who is indisposed through illness, Mr Nees presided .at to-day's sitting. Mr. N. D. Hood appeared as representative of the Marine and Inspection of Machinery Department; Mr.-11. E. Mostyn watched the proceedings as deputy chief inspector of factories; Mr. Seed appeared for the Dominion Federated Sawmillers" Association; and Mr. J. Read for the New Zealand Timber Workers' Federation The evidence is largely technical, bearing upon the improvement of the present protectional devices, which have been in use since 1908. These devices' have proved adequate, especially on the West Coast, where it is said not a single accident has occurred, but it has been suggested that certain further safeguards might be provided.