A RECENT FATALITY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 16, 21 January 1919, Page 5

A RECENT FATALITY.

VERDICT AND A RIDER. ((United (Frees Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 17. At the inquest concerning the death of W. J. Chapman, who died of Injuries received at Lyttelton on. December 19 by a boat from the steamer Rosamond falling on him, a verdict was returned to that effect, with tho following rider added: (a) That at the time of the accident there was on the ship, the owner of which is the Union Steam Ship Company, a lifeboat slung on davits, the releasing gear of which had been-unfastened, thus rendering the position b! the boat on the davits insecure; (b) that whilst the releasing gear was in this imperfect condition an employee of the said company, unskilled iil the mechanism of davits and their releasing gear, was placed to work in the said boat; (c) that whilst tho boat was thus hanging .insecurely ip davits the deceased and other workmen were passing to ambJro under the boat to the knowledge of their foreman; it fell from the davits with violence, nnd injured the deceased, and in cbnsequence of. Mch injuries ho died; (d) &at the falling of such boat was caused partly by the unsafe conditions of the releasing gear and the unwitting action of the said employee in striking it with his back when rising from his work in the said boat.