FALL DOWN HOLD

Evening Star, Issue 21819, 7 September 1934, Page 6

FALL DOWN HOLD

YOUNG CARPENTER’S DEATH SEVERE INJURIES TO LIVER , “ Although it was' noticed by Dr D’Ath, during, the post, morten examination, that deceased had a slow growing and progressive large tumour ,pn the brain, which would have proved fatal within a year or two, unless successfully operated oh, that had nothing to do with, the,.cause of death, which was due to pulmonary embolism arising from a large clot of blood on the liver, the, result of some severe injury to that organ” said the coroner (Mr H.W. Bundle, 5.M.,) at the inquest today, on Jack William Roberts (26), a carpenter, who fell down the hold of the steamer Kumara, at Dunedin, 6u July 16, and died suddenly in the .hospital on August 16. He was admitted to hospital on August 2. Sergeant R. Lean conducted the inquest. Mr W. Douglas Taylor appeared for the relatives, and Mr J. M< Paterson represented the deceased’s employers, The Love Construction. Company. Ronald Norman Middleditch, carpenter, residing, at Port Chalmers, said deceased was working on the same job oir the Kumara. Deceased went down the ladder to No. 3 hold and had passed the shelter, deck and was crossing the coaming to the ’tween deck, when he fell backwards, landing on the deck, eight feet below. Before ; going down the ladder, Roberts , seemed to bo in his usual health and spirits, and witness had never known him to have giddy turns. After the fall, deceased picked himself up and walked away,Deceased did not strike anything during ihe fall. To Mr Taylor: He . was following Roberts when the accident occurred. Roberts fell on his stomach. He had no conversation with deceased, who was not carrying his kit when lie fell, till two hours after. The ladder was in perfectly good condition and witness could not say what had caused tho fall. After his return from the doctor, deceased said he. was feeling “■ seedy.” . j William George Love, manager of the Love Construction Company, said deceased was engaged by him on. July 14 to work on the Kumara. Roberts had worked regularly on. ships for the company for the past six. years. He was a strong, healthy, agile, and capable young man. On July 16, he hoarded the Kumara after 9 o’clock and met the deceased at the head of the gangway. Roberts said he had had a. “bit of a fall ” and he proposed going home. He had been to the doctor but he said he did not feel like starting work . again. Witness, saw. Roberts almost daily after the accident, but deceased was not certain whether his hand or. foot had slipped—it was over so quickly. Witness. had frequently used the ladder, which was in good order. . To Mr Taylor: Deceased became worse when he went to bed and did not work from the time of the accident till his death. .

Reviewing the evidence, the coroner said he had ordered a post mortem examination as an injury had been ■caused during the course of employment. Dizziness might have been caused by the tumour, but only deceased could have said how the accident happened. ,He returned a verdict that death was due to pulmonary embolism arising from a large clot of blood on the liver, the result of injuries caused from an accidental fall from the ladder on the steamer Knmara on ‘July 16.