GARAGE FATALITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23161, 6 October 1938, Page 20

GARAGE FATALITY

MOTOR MECHANIC'S DEATH ADJOURNMENT OF INQUEST [bv TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] ■?-' ROiORUA. Wednesday The circumstances of the death of a motor mechanic, William 4 Frederick Wild, married, aged,39, who was killed .'yesterday afternoon Tvhile carrying out repairs to a itrupk at the Waiwera garage, was the subject of an inquest which was opened before the coroner, Mr v W. L. Richards, this afternoon. Evidence was given by Charles J. Grant/ proprietor of the garage, who said that hf* had seen Wild working at his bench.at '3.35 p.m.. when Wild had told him that he was replacing a rente* bolt iu a motor-truck. A few minutes later witness had beep informed that an accident had occurred. The jack which the deceased had been using was in perfect condition, and had never shown any sign of a defect. A .possible explanation of the accident was that the jack, which was mounted onVheels. had suddenly slipped away, due to the hoist and block not being correctly -centred on the cha'ssis of the truck. The jack and block had been placed in position by Wild himself. : ■ ■ .„,

•The.drij-er of the truck, Earle Hollis. stated that he had taken the truck to the garage for repairs to a rear spring Ue .had ' assisted < Wild to remove tho broken centre bolt from the spring, and while Wild was making a new bolt he had beCn carrying out adjustments te the engine. While doing so, he felt the truck go down, as it would do if the pressure on a jack had been released in the. ordinary way. When he had felt the rear of the truck drop he had been screwing up a plug terminal with his fingers, and had done nothing to cause the chassis to shift.

The inquest was then adjourned sine die. .. • - y ~