FALL FROM TRUCK

Evening Star, Issue 21080, 18 April 1932, Page 11

FALL FROM TRUCK

WATERSIDE WORKER'S FATAL INJURIES A verdict that death was due to depression and contusion of the brain, following a fracture of the skull, as a result of an accidental fall from a railway truck on the export wharf at Port Chalmers on April 13 was returned by the coroner (Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) at the inquest to-day on William Thompson, a waterside worker. Sergeant Isbister represented the police, and the employers (John Mill and Co.) and the relatives were represented by counsel. William Drnest Wilson, .a storeman for John Mill and Co. at Port Chalmers, said he was in charge of the men engaged on unloading wool from trucks on April 13. Wilson was in the gang. Ho had been employed by the firm for a number of years on that work. Witness last saw deceased on top of a truck, throwing off wool. When the report was made that Thompson had fallen off the truck he immediately went behind the truck and found deceased in a bad way. Deceased was removed to the hospital after being attended to by Dr Roy. Deceased had sustained head injuries. He was a temperate man, and a steady worker, being always among the first men engaged by witness for any. work. To counsel for the relatives: Ho could suggest no proposals for improving the system of work. To counsel for the employers: In no instance had it come to witness’s notice that the deceased was in ill-health. Donald Noble Bissett, a waterside worker, also employed by John Mill and Co., said Thompson was the only man on top of the truck. He saw Thompson disappear from the top after he had put off four males, but he did not see the commencement of the fall, which was of eight feet three inches. Deceased appeared to be in perfectly good health that morning. Overbalancing when deceased was turning over a bale was the only suggestion witness could make as a reason for the fall. To Counsel: Deceased had had plenty of experience over sixteen years in this class of work. The system under which they worked was a safe one. Dr P. C. Anderson, a house surgeon at the hospital, said that, when admitted Thompson was in an unconscious and shocked condition. F: had an extensive bruise over the left side of the skull, and there were abrasions on his left ear. He was bleeding from the nose, and evidence of a hajmorrhage under the left eyelid and a fracture of the skull was noted. Deceased failed to respond to treatment, and died at 3.40 p.m. The cause of death was depression and contusion of the brain, following a fracture of the skull. To counsel for the company: So far as he could see there were no signs of heart disease. No post-mortem was made. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned, the Coroner adding that the injuries were caused by an accidental fall.