A WORKMAN'S DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14392, 10 June 1910, Page 6

A WORKMAN'S DEATH.

CHELSEA SUGAR WORKS ACCIDENT. The adjourned inquiry concerning the death of Thomas Roberts, an unmarried man, aged about 34, as the result of a fall while employed at the Chelsea Sugar \ Works \on Saturday morning last, was resumed , at Glees'on's Hotel yesterday morning, before the city Coroner. (Mr. T. Gresham)." Mr. H. P. Richmond watched the proceedings on behalf of the/ Colonial Sugar Company, Limited, and Mr. S. Mays appeared onbehalf of the relatives of the deceased. Thomas Victor- Griffith, , a mixer, at the Sugar Works, deposed that at.7.40 a.m. on Saturday he was working on the centrifugal floor at an elevation of about 40ft,v while the deceased i was on a platform about 20ft ; higher.; ; , : ; The latter had liberated : the belt i from the i top pulley by means of a pinch bar, at the same time remarking to witness, "Always do this, Tommy, and you will never get killed or meet with any accident," ; whereupon the belt suddenly tightened up and swept deceased and the rail which he was holding off the platform, causing him to fall a distance of about 60ft. The duty of removing the belt rightly belonged to a greaser. \ It should not havebeen removed with a pinch bar. > 'To Mr. Mays: The clutch which would rcloase this belt was down on a lower floor. Deceased pointed out that the clutch was tied by string or rope. Witness had seen it ■ fastened on previous : occasions by -an iron pin. , ' :;■';:. :v .'■ To Mr. Richmond : Deceased had told witness that he had complained to the foreman at the works about delays resulting from belts coming off, and about tho greaser hot being in attendance '' when required.! About a fortnight before the fatality he said that they would not fix anything unless someone was killed. Proceedings were adjourned until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, at Gleeson's Hotel, in order to obtain the evidence of the foreman and others. In regard to a suggestion for jurors to visit the works, it was decided not to do so until after hearing expert evidence. '*