HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 2 December 1938, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

[Our Own Correspondent]

HOKITIKA, December 1. Mr and Mrs P. J. Toomey, Gibson Quay, have received notification that their son, William, a pupil of St. Mary’s Convent School, Hokitika, has won a scholarship at St. Bede’s College, Christchurch. Master Toomey and his teachers are to be congratulated on his attainment. A verdict that William Livingstone Hayward died at Westland Hospital on November 21, 1938, as the result of injuries received earlier that day, when he was caught in the machinery at Butler Bros.’ Ltd. sawmill at Ruatapu while carrying out his duties as an oiler for the Company, was returned by Mr A. E. Benjamin, at the inquest yesterday. Sergeant Gilligan conducted the proceedings. Mr M. B. James appeared for the family of the deceased, Mr Jamieson for Butler Bros.’ Ltd., and Mr F. L. Turley for the' Timber Workers’ Union. Dr. J. N. Macfarlane detailed deceased’s condition when witness saw him at the mill, showing minor external injuries. Signs of a fractured base of the skull, intra cranuim haemorrhage, also fractures of both arms, both legs and a crushed chest. Henry Forsyth Breeze, a fireman employed at the mill said he saw deceased at 8.40 a.m. mill time, going toward the fan shaft, and a little later heard a bump in the lean-to where the fan shaft is situated. He went to this place, but did not see Hayward, and then hurried back to the engine driver and told him to pull up as he thought Hayward had been caught in the shaft. He saw a piece of Hayward’s coat lying on the planks he usually stood on to oil the bearing. The engine driver had the throttle shut off when witness got to him, and the machinery stopped. From the time he saw Hayward enter the shed till he heard the bump was barely two minutes. The oiling was generally done just after starting, at 8 a.m., and 1 p.m. Since the accident the oiling is now done at 7 o’clock and at 12 o’clock, when the machinery is idle. Henry Edward McClelland, Inspector of Machinery, Greymouth, stated that the same day he inspected the place where the accident took place.. It was in a lean-to running from No. 2 engine. The accident had happened at the intermediate shaft running from fro. 2 engine. The shaft was fitted according to standard and had been there 30 years. Witness detailed the lay-out of the gear, and said it was his opinion that the deceased’s clothing was ragged, and got caught round the shafting, and he did not think he was caught in the pulley. There was nothing to give him this opinion but experience. There was nothing wrong with the shafting. It was in perfect order. The deceased could have been caught by the shafting when he was reaching over to oil the bearings. All employees about machinery should wear tight clothing. He would not suggest any alteration to the machinery of this shafting where this accident occurred. The platform was quite wide enough and suitable for the purpose for which it was used. He understood it had- been the practice to oil the machinery while it was in motion. He considered Butler Bros’, sawmill a good sawmill. There was nothing he > could see to show that the young man had taken any undue risk. It was not a breach of the Machinery Act to oil a bearing while it is running. A man would have to feel the bearing when the machinery was running to find out if it were hot. It would be preferable for the machinery to be stopped when this particular. bearing was being attended to. James Alexander Marshall, mill manager, recalled, said he found deceased unconscious, while ; his clothing from the waist up had been completely torn from his body and was lying on the floor. The only y the clothing could have been

pulled off was by the deceased havingbeen caught in the pulley or the shaft. To Mr Turley.—Following further observation Tie was now of the opinion deceased was not caught by contact with the pulley. Since the accident oiling has not been done with the machinery in motion. Even if the suggested plank. were placed in position on' the pedestals, if a man were caught in the shafting, he was of the opinion l that he would be pulled over, in spite of the plank being there. There had been no complaints by members of the ; mill staff of any danger at this parti- J cular point, or by the Inspector of Machinery. ' Guests at Hotel Westland include: ; Mr and Mrs W. G. Witt (New York), Miss B. Jacobs (S.‘Africa), Mrs J. C. Johnston (Melbourne, Victoria), Mr E. I O. Trerise Mr E. J. Denys (Christ-1 church), Mr J. A. Parfit (Wellington), | Mr W. Souter (Okarito), Mr H. Hilde-j brandt (Napier), Mr Sinclair (Christchurch). I

Woodstock-Rimu Women’s Institute held their monthly meeting yesterday when'there was a good attendance. A competition for best covered coat hanger resulted as follows: —Mrs Rasmussen Ist; Mrs Boyd 2nd; Mrs T. Wells. 3rd. It was decided to hold a sale of \frork in the Woodstock Hall on Saturday. A vote of thanks was passed to Mrs Milner for a donation of books for the library; Afternoon tea was served by the hostesses.