WATERSIDER’S DEATH

Evening Star, Issue 20119, 8 March 1929, Page 7

WATERSIDER’S DEATH

VERDICT OF HEART FAILURE “ In view of the possibility of proceedings in another court, I do not propose traversing the evidence at all,” said Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., sitting as coroner at the adjourned inquest this morning concerning the death of Thomas Long, aged fiftythree, who died on March 4. The deceased resided in Avenue terrace, King street. Sergeant Wade watched proceedings for the police, Mr A. N. Haggitt appearing for the Union Steamship Company, and Mr F. B. Adams for the relatives of the deceased.

Dr D’ath said that by order of tbe coroner he made a post mortem examination of the body of deceased, and from the detailed examination he was of the opinion that the deceased died from heart failure, the result of advanced degeneration of the blood vessels supplying his heart. David Copland, a waterside worker residing in St Andrew street, gave evidence that he had been sorting inward cargo in a shed on the Birch .street wharf, being employed by the Union Steamship Company. Deceased was also engaged in trucking, the goods principally being rolls of sheet lead and drums of tar. The quantities in each truck varied. There were two sizes of sheet lead, the smaller weighing scwt, and the larger lOcwt. The drums would weigh Jijcwt to sc\vt. Deceased was in the shafts of the truck which was being pushed by Peter Watt. When Long arrived at work he appeared to be in his usual health, and did not complain of anything. About 10 o’clock deceased made up his mind to go home, and walking out of the shod he said he felt very “crook. Witness suggested that they should change jobs, but deceased said be felt too bad and would go home. He looked very pale, and sweat was coming out of him. When the sheets of roll lead were brought into the shed, they were usually dumped off the truck, but when there was a layer, one or two high, they were piled. "Witness _ saw deceased twice attempting to lift the cud of a sheet off the top, this being some time before he complained. The track over which the truck went was very rough at that particular spot. There were a lot of railway lines along them. The woodwork of the wharf was very rough—as a matter of fact it was “ done,” it being hard to pull a heavy load over it. It would not be a hard job for two men. Deceased rcpoi ted to Smith, the foreman, and went homo. To Mr Adams: That part ol: the wharf was not lit lor wheeling cargo over. It had been previously complained of, as men iound it difficult to work there

To Mr Haggitt; It Avonld be some time before 1.0 in the morning that deceased was lifting the lead. Twelve hundredweight was the Avcight lor lavo men to handle, this being in the award. To the Coroner: They assisted deceased to shift the end of the shot lead. He avhs an experienced Avorker.

To Mr Haggitt; Deceased did not complain of having strained himself, but only said he was feeling “crook.” If witness had had any idea that the work would have hurt deceased he would have stopped or assisted him. Peter diaries Watt, waterside worker, residing in Queensberry street, North-cast Valley, who was working on the s.s. Karetu on the date in question, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. Deceased remarked to witness about 9 o’clock that he was feeling had. He complained again a httlo later that pains were shooting through his shoulder, and when witness suggested that deceased should sit down the latter said he would carry on, and if the pain did not disappear ho would ao home'. H© carried on until ho made the remark mentioned hy the previous witness

Tho Coroner said that the evidence showed that tho deceased went to ■work on March 4 at trucking from tho Karetu to a shed at Birch street. After he had been there an hour or two he complained of feeling unwell, and went homo. Medical attention was summoned. but he died in a short time. In view of the circumstances a post mortem was ordered and conducted by Dr D’Atb as to the cause of death, which was heart trouble. Deceased was employed as a waterside worker, and the question might, and evidently would, arise_ as to whether deceased received any injury during the course of bis employment that resulted in death. On the evidence before him he was unable l to say that anything was shown him which would cause the death of deceased that day. Other evidence might he put forward at further proceedings, but on the evidence ho could only find that deceased died from heart failure on Marcli 4 as the result of degeneration of the blood vessels supplying the heart.