FATAL LIFT ACCIDENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8735, 18 May 1914, Page 8

FATAL LIFT ACCIDENT

CORONER’S INQUIRY. The circumstances attending the death of Stephen Alderton, -who was killed in Messrs H. C. Gibbons and Co.’s premises on Thursday, were the'subject of an inquiry by Mr D. G. A. Cooper, S.M.. in the Magistrate’s Court on Saturday. Evidence was given by Dr. Henry that deceased’s neck was broken, and death must have been instantaneous. Harold Cottrell, an employee of the firm, said that he had gone to the lift, and there saw the deceased with his head jammed between the lift and the ceiling of the third floor. The lift -was in good working order imtmcdiately aftesr the accident. He could throw no light on the question as bo how the accident occurred. The deceased appeared to be quite in his ordinary health on that day. Just prior to the accident, deceased was instructed to take some sacks of seed up to the top floor in the lift. Thomas Westwood, head storeman in the employ of Messrs Gibbons and Co., also gave evidence as to finding the body of deceased. To Mr O’Leary (who appeared for the father of deceased): From the position of tho body, it was apparent that the deceased bad for some unknown reason ■ put his head outside the front of the lift in passing through the second floor. James William Alderton, contractor, residing at Wanganui, said that ho was a brother of the deceased, who was twenty years of age, a- single man, and a New Zealander. The coroner said that the evidence showed that the lift was in good working order, and he returned a verdict that death was purely accidental, there being no blame attachable to anyone. l - :