BOY LOSES FOUR FINGERS

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1929, Page 11

BOY LOSES FOUR FINGERS

CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. By Telegraph.—Press Association. AGisborne, Last Night.',--j A claim for £3045 as damages sus<t tained by a boy occupied the Suprem® Court to-day, Mr. Justice Ostler preside ing. Plaintiffs were Percey Breingam the boy who sustained the injury, an 4 Gordon Wilfred Breingan, h is. father, fendante being Alexander David Fletcher* and Daniel Murphy. Evidence was given that plaintiff/ who was 14 years of age, entered emS ployment with defendants/ who ars butchers. The plaintiff lad, in evidence, eaid that while usinj* a mincing he noticed there was still some meat :; round the edge, so he shifted the belt over to the loose pulley and put his hand down into the machine to scrape the meat off, as he had been shown, by ' hie employer, Fletcher. While doing this the belt jumped back on to. the fixed pulley and the blades cut off four fingers of the right’ hand. Evidence was ’given' >by the lad’s father and an inspector of factories that, they visited the scene after the acei« • dent, put. the -inachine .in motion, and pushed the belt on to the .loose, pulley/ but after a few minutes it ran on to the fixed pulley and operated thA machine. Fletcher said he had explained to the lad how to use the plunger of the machine and warned him half a dozen times igainst putting bis hand near the - worm of the machine. He had told ths . lad never to put his hand in the cup,, and always to use a wooden wedgo- - changing the trays. Witness saiVL the lad in hospital and the latter that in trying to knock the meat, in, the l cup he was caught. Defendant alleged ; that plaintiff admitted he had not used./ the rammer. When the lad’s -father ited witness the latter, in giving a de< monstration, was . surprised- to see thfi/ belt slip over and start the .machiiwi That had never dcctbrued prior to the. accident. , ; ’ *. • After medical evidence had been, heard the case for the defence was concluded . and the further hearing was adjourned U till to-morrow. x ;