BUILDER FINED BY COURT

Southland Times, Issue 23922, 14 September 1939, Page 2

BUILDER FINED BY COURT

COLLAPSE OF SEATS AT BOXING MATCH

The collapse of the seating accommodation on the stage at the Civic Theatre during a boxing match several months ago had a sequel yesterday when George Rogerson, a builder, was charged in the Magistrate’s Court with erecting tiers of seats on the stage of the Civic Theatre without first having given the city engineer 24 hours’ notice. The defendant, who pleaded guilty, was represented by Mr R. T. Meredith, and Mr J. Robertson appeared for the city building inspector. Mr R. C. Abernethy. S.M., heard the case. Mr Robertson said the object of the by-law under which the charge was laid was to enable the city inspector to inspect the structure to satisfy himself that the as to its stability had been met. Counsel for the defence said that his client had prepared plans and specifications and these had been approved. During the last few years the same staging had been erected whenever the theatre was used for boxing and wrestling, and it was afterwards dismantled. On this occasion Rogerson was ill and notice was not given. It was merely a formal matter. The collapse of the stand, he said, was not the result of any defect in its erection. The Magistrate said that notice was required to be given and threw the onus on the council to have an inspection made. The contractor was ill, but he should have made some arrangement. It was apparently just an unfortunate slip. , n„ The defendant was fined £2, costs 10/-.