SAFETY FOR WORKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18223, 17 October 1922, Page 6

SAFETY FOR WORKERS.

USE OF SCAFFOLDING. £

ENFORCING REGULATIONS..

MASTER PAINTERS PROTEST.

TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL RErORTKfi.] WELLINGTON. Monda,. A protest against tho decision of the Labour Department to strictly enforce tha present scaffolding regulations was made by a deputation representing the New Zealand Federation of Master Painters, Decorators, and Signwriters which waited upon the Minister for Labour to-day. The deputation moro particularly asked that the department should nor, insist on that portion of the regulations requiring that all scaffolding over 10ft. high should be notified, and that on scaffolding over 10ft. high 18in. planks should be used and not 12in. planks, i't was stated that the existing arrangements had been in force for a gruat number of years without any interference from tho department. The. deputation did not think it fair that the old regulations, which admittedly had been in operation since 1908, should now bo "enforced, particularly as there was i Scaffolding Bill before Parliament.

Tho Hon. G. J. Anderson informed the deputation that the safety of the workers must'come abovo all other things. After' the scaffolding accident at Auckland, ■ which resulted in tho death of four men, he gave instructions that the whole matter of the regulations and their enforcement • should' be looked into, and later a chief inspector (Mr. Stringer, of Christchurch) was appointed. That officer had gona round the country, and after a thorough investigation had reported that the only, thing to do was to insist upon the enforoement of the regulations.

The deputation stated that a master painter in Wellington was being prosecuted for a breach of the regulations and suggested that the prosecution should be withdrawn ip view of the fact that he had merely acted as he had wted for years and years without any interference from tlie department. The Minister said he could not possibly interfere with the prosecution. If the in- . specters were in the wrong they would have to stand by it, and. if the master painter was in the wrong he would have, to stand by it. In the course of further discussion, tha Minister stated that he could only follow a course which would mean safety first to the workers, and, in that connection, he had trust in his officers, who were thoroughly competent men. Evidently it was necessary to strictly enforce tho regula- ' tions, and that would be done.