FALL DOWN SHIP'S HOLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18762, 16 July 1924, Page 12

FALL DOWN SHIP'S HOLD.

DEATH FOLLOWS INJURIES.

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST.

An inquest concerning th.B death of Mr. Charles Edwin Couzens, aged 54, a sheet-metal worker, who died of pneumonia on Monday evening, following injuries, received through falling down the hold of the Tofua on July 9, was opened before Mr. J. W Poynton, S.M., last evening. Mr. Elliott represented the relatives of deceased and Mr. Bagnall appeared for the Union Steam Ship Company. — " A son-in-law of deceased, Robert Michael John Kiely, stated that Couzens had always been in perfect health. Dr. Aubrey J. Mason deposed that Couzens was admitted, to the hospital suffering from injuries, to the head and crushed lower ribs. He was semi-con-scious, but progressed slowly until the following Saturday,- when pneumonia set in as a result of the injuries. No fracture of the skull was apparent, and thero had been no indications of pneumonia at the time of his admittance.

Further evidence was given that deceased, at the time of the accident, was going down a ladder to get into No.' 1 hold, and fell nearly 30ft. A workmen said there was a '-'bend'' in the ladder three or four rungs below the top, the last part of the ladder being about Bin. further back than the first portion. Deceased, who was perfectly sober, would have been at about that part of the ladder when he fell. The foreman under whom deceased was employed said that Couzens had been down the ladder on at least two previous occasions on the day of the accident. Most of the Union Company's boats did not have ladders of the kind on which the accident occurred, but they were common in Home boats.

The-inquest was adjourned until this afternoon, to enable further medical evidence to be called.