DEATH OF A WORKMAN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11302, 30 August 1922, Page 5

DEATH OF A WORKMAN

DAMAGES AGAINST EMPLOYER. AELEGED NEGLECT OF LABOUR DEPARTMENT. PER TRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, August 29. .A Supremo Court jury awarded £1750 damages in an action brought by Margaret Catherine C. Moore, on behalf of herself and children, against Norman Taylor, trading as John Henderson and Go., house decorators, for £3IOOO damages on account of the death of her husband, Walter Bramwell Moore, one of tho four workmen killed by the collapse of the scaffolding at Endean’s Buildings on February Ist last. Of the amount awarded, £SOO was to the children. The issues to the jury and the answers were : Was the scaffc as erected, reasonably fit for the .rposo for which it was used?—No. Did the defendant or his employees exercise reasonable care and skill: (a) in the selection of the material used, and (b) in the erection of the material supplied?—No. Did defendant comply with the provisions of the Act? —No. If not. did the accident result from such failure?—lt is impossible to sny. Did the scaffolding inspector, in fact, pass the scaffolding, although no certificate under tlie Act was given?— Yes. APPOINTMENT OF INSPECTORS. The jury, in a rider, drew the attention of the Government to the neglect of the Labour Department in not enforcing the provisions of the Scaffolding Act, and asked that only competent men T>c appointed to the position of inspector of scaffolding. It was suggested that suitable life-saving appliances ebohld bn installed for tlie safotv of workmen and the public on all work carried out over fifteen feet in height-.