Operated Saw Without Certificate

Northern Advocate, 12 January 1948, Page 3

Operated Saw Without Certificate

Taking the case as a warning, Mr W. C. Harley, S.M., fined E. D. Grant, sawmiller, of Maungatapere, 10/- with 12/- costs at the Whangarei Police Court today for operating a circular breakdown saw without a certificate from the Inspector of Machinery. Mr L. A. Johnson, appearing for the Inspector of Machinery, Auckland, said that a millhand had been caught in shafting and killed. It was not suggested Grant was responsible for the accident.

Appearing for Grant, Mr D. J. Thomson said Grant had been to the office of the Inspector of Factories at Whangarei, where he was given a form to fill in, arid, after doing so, he thought he had done everything necessary.

The Inspector of Factories, whom Grant had thought to be the Inspector of Machinery, inspected the mill's machinery and told Grant to carry on. Later a certification under the Fac'tories Act had been issued and other formalities were being finalised when the accident occurred. Between the time of the accident and the arrival of the Inspector of Machinery the shaft had been encased by a guard.

“We can regard the case as a warning,” said the magistrate, who accepted Grant’s evidence and imposed a nominal penalty. He allowed a solicitor’s fee of £l/1/- against Grant. QUARRY ACCIDENT Involved in an accident as the result of a premature explosion at Paranui quarry. V. Granich was fined £1 with 13/- costs for taking charge of blasting operations without having a quarry manager’s certificate. The Inspector of Quarries (Mr R. C. Ruffin) said that Granich employed a certificated quarry manager to comply with the act, but had done the blasting himself. Granich, who pleaded guilty, said he was as good as a ticket holder and had been blasting for about 10 years. He had previously applied for a certificate for blasting. John Dootson Rigby, bootmaker, of 4 Irangi Road, One Tree Hill. Auckland, was fined 10/- with 10/- costs for an indecent act in a public place in Whangarei on January 10.