INSPECTION OF LIFTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22166, 20 July 1935, Page 14

INSPECTION OF LIFTS

DEPARTMENT CRITICISED FATALITY IN WELLINGTON [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON. Friday Strong criticism of the rfiethods used by the Marine Department in the licensing of lifts in city buildings was expressed by Mr. O. C. Mazengarb at an inquest held to-day into the death of Gordon Sims, an electrical apprentice, aged 17i, who was killed through being crushed between a lift and the wall of the shaft in Magnus Motors building. Mr. Mazengarb, who appeared for the parents of deceased, subjected the inspector of machinery for the Marine 'Department to a lengthy cross-examin-ation on the fact that the lift had been operated without a licence since April or May, and expressed the opinion that it was perfectly scandalous that lifts in Wellington went unlicensed for two or tliree months solely because the department could not get round the city in time.

An electrician explained that all except the ground-floor gates of the lift were electrically controlled. The ground-floor gates operated vertically and rose or dropped as the lift descended or ascended. Judging by, the position of deceased it appeared that he had stepped into the lift as it started to ascend and was knocked down by tlje gate as it dropped into position. A verdict was - returned that deceased was fatally injured by being crushed when attempting to enter a goods-lift in motion. The coroner said the lift machinery was passed by an expert man, and were ordinary care taken it would not be dangerous.