CLAIM FOR £2000.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19202, 19 June 1924, Page 8

CLAIM FOR £2OOO.

SEQUEL JO ACETYLENE GAS 11. *Vi .Li aj S i U iPks Unir;-ia Dress AiioociATioa.) NTI PIER, Juno 18 The sequel to tho explosion ,ol tno acetylene gas cj umicr at x'oit iUiui'in on iNovumuor i, xa2c, was lieura in the Buprcme Court to-uay ceicre. .ur ,J notice iMucDiegor ami a special jury ol 12. mo planum is x'loremc Bouise aporie, Uie widow ol one oi tno men v, no mud as Dm result m injuries received, and tne Ceienuaru is Uie .vcoujiic luuminuuiig and \velding company, Irani v.iiuin xmcou is claimed. Mr f. J- O’Regan appeared lor die plaintiff and Mr O, P. c-KiureU and .ur d. ju. urn prunes for trie ueieimaut company. Tire action was not brougnt under- Uie Workers' Compensation Bel, as bporie was not a servant oi Urc Company. uu was a driver lor a carrying tirm, and happened to be on the wliarl m the vicnuly when Uie cylinder exploded. The plaintiff contended that Jdporlc lost his rite through tne negligence oi tho defendant company. Evidence was called to prove lhat all welded cylinders of the class used hy Uie defendants were liable to explode, and only solid drawn cylinders were safe. If welded cylinders were used tuey should be protected with matting of rope coverings. Under cross-examination by Air bkerrett, the plaintiff admitted that tho labour Tiltons wore paying all tue costs of Uie action. •Mr Skorretl contended lhat no negligence had been proved. For 15 years tho defendant company had been exporting a fargo number of gas-rilled cylinders of the same typo us that which hud exploded, and never before had an accident happened, rue greatest producers ot acetylene gas m the world (a Swedish company) sent out unprotected cylinders. T ho nearing was adjourned.