CRUSHED BY HOIST

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 March 1943, Page 6

CRUSHED BY HOIST

COMMENT BY THE CORONER

AUCKLAND, March 15. An inquest into the death of Mr. Patrick James John Barry, aged 67, married, formerly of Greymouth, a tally clerk employed by the American Transport Service, of 1 Ngahere Terrace, Parnell, who was crushed by a mobile hoist on Prince’s Wharf on February 16, was conducted by the Coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt. John Connor, a member of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union, gave evidence that he was driving the hoist, and had seen deceased sitting on a box at the doorway of a shed. He had spoken to deceased about sitting there because of the danger of falling boxes. When the hoist was carrying two trays of I boxes, which necessitated driving inj reverse because of lack of vision, j

three boxes had fallen at the doorway. Witness said that he tried to turn to avoid the obstruction caused by the boxes and heard a moan. He found that the hoist had crushed Barry. Witness said that he had been driving a hoist for a fortnight. The hoist had no rear vision mirror and had a stationary seat. Earlier that day he had been carrying only one tray, but had been instructed by the foreman to carry two. He had been told to drive in reverse in order to see. The machine was steered by the rear wheels and the motor drove the front wheels. The practice of carrying more than one tray was stopped later by the intervention of; union officials. “After this accident has occurred care must be used to see that these 1 machines are not overloaded, and that if steering in reverse a swivel seat be used,” said the Coroner, in returning of a verdict of accidental death.