ELECTRICIAN KILLED

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1930, Page 10

ELECTRICIAN KILLED

TOUCHED HIGH TENSION FUSE. INQUEST INTO CIRCUMSTANCES. “Death was due to heart failure following electric shock and burns through Betteridge’s accidentally coming into contact with a high voltage,” was the verdict of the coroner, Mr. W. L’. Kennedy, after the inquest, held at Stratford yesterday, into the circumstances of the death of Frederick Bruce Betteridge, a linesman employed by the Taranaki Electric Power Board. Betteridge was electrocuted while working <on a transformer at Croydon Road. The evidence, said Mr. Kennedy, indicated that the death was purely an accident, but it was to be regretted that Betteridge was alone at the time. The doctor’s evidence proved conclusively, however, that death was due to electric shock.

Donald A. Bunyan, a linesman of. the board, said Betteridge was a member of a party employed on electrical work at Croydon Road on Monday. Bunyan was the last man to speak to Betteridge at a little after noon. At that time the party had just finished erecting a pole which was to carry a line to a farmhouse. Having, left his lunch in a lorry, Betteridge did not accompany his companions to the farmhouse but said he would wait for the lorry to return. The remainder of the party went to the farmhouse for lunch in a second lorry. DISCOVERY OF ACCIDENT. When Bunyan was half-way through his lunch Betteridge had not arrived, so Bunyan went to the top of a rase to call him. Bunyan received mf answer and proceeded to the transformer, where he found Betteridge lying at the foot of the pole. He was lying on his face. Bunyan turned him over and found he was dead. Returning, to the top of the hill, Bunyan summoned his companions and advised them of the accident. Betteridge had burns on the left temple and right hand ’and a cut over one eye. ' Advancing his theory as to the cause' of death, Bunyan said Betteridge must have gone back ,to the transformer structure to “make off” the : low tension wires and his head apparently touched the clip of the specific fuse. The fuse was sft. Gin. above the platform of the transformer structure. Mr. P. Thomson, acting on behalf of Betteridge’s parents, asked what steps were taken to protect employees from such a fuse. .■ , Bunyan said the workmen knew the fuse was there and took care to avoid it. When necessary ■ the. power'would be cut off to eliminate danger on such work. The high pressure leads to the transformer carried 6000 volts. In reply to Mr. J. L. Weir, appearing for. the board, Bunyan Said Betteridge was engaged on work with which hr was fully cognjsant.-; The work he w-'s doing earlier in the day brought Betteridge into close proximity with the fuse. KNEW SAFEGUARDS.

Betteridge knew how to pull a fuse and deaden the transformer. Had he thought'he would.be in danger he could have pulled the fuse. Usually, however, when the men were engaged in only light work such as they were doing that day the fuses Were not pulled. Under the same circumstances. said Bunyan, he would not have pulled the fuse. Betteridge’s death was evidently due to forgetfulness. He had been a careful and accomplished workman. Rubber gloves- were issued that day but none was used.

Dr.W.P. P. Gordon arrived at the scene of the accident at about ;1.30p.m., when an examination ' showed that 'life was extinct.’ Death was : ‘due ’to heart failure as the result of the passage of a high tension current through the body.- . Judging from 'the severity of the burns the ■ doctor thought, death would have been instantaneous. The cut over the eye was evidently inflicted by the fall from the pole. Leonard H. Jardine, lines foreman, explained the nature of the work that was being undertaken that day. At the time Betteridge’s head touched the specific fuse box'hia hand must have been touching the tail wire from the lowbox; Under the circumstan- . ces of Betteridge’s work at that time there was no reason why he should have worn-gloves. - ■ -' The coroner extended his sympathy to the members of Betteridge’s family. ■ FARMERS’ MUTUAL INSURANCE. STEADY PROGRESS RECORDED. The 25th annual meeting of the Tara- S naki Farmers? Mutual Fire Insurance Association was held at Eltham on Wednesday, Mr. C. J. Preston presiding. The report stated that both fire and accident branches- showed steady progress and additions had been made to t!ie reserves. A vote of condolence with the relatives of the late chairman, .Mr. C. J. Belcher,'wms carried .Mr. Belcher had been a director, also chairman for many years. Mr. S. C. Tonics was re-elected a director and Mr. R. J. Knuckey was elected to the vacancy on, the directorate caused by the death of Mr. Belcher. Mr. 11, A. Lennon wan re-appoint-ed auditor at the same remuneration a<s bust year. At a subsequent meeting of directors Mr. C. J, Preston was elected chairman.

ELPHAM THEATRE. “THE RAINBOW MAN.’’ The all-talking, singing sensation “The Rainbow Man,” will screen at the Fltham theatre to-night. The feature of this picture is lovable Eddie Dowling singing “Sleepy Valley,” “Smile Little Pal,” and “The Rainbow Man,” together with a line and pretty story combining comedy, pathoe, and thrills —thrills which in short are the melodious romance of life in a small town minstrel troupe;

| GENERAL ITEMS. i The Pukengahu Social Club will hold * a ball on Monday night. Boulton’s I dance band will play the music and preparations are in hand to ensure a successful and enjoyable evening. The Oaonui hall will be the scene of a final dance of the season on August 27. Preparations are being made to ensure an enjoyable evening. An interesting comparison between • the returns received by poultry farmers and wheat-growers was made by a speaker at the meeting of poultrymen at Eltham on Wednesday called to consider the formation of an egg circle. He said that from his experience the cost of egg production for food alone in, an up-to-date poultry yard of 25 fowls was 14s per bird per . year. This gave a profit of 10s per bird without any allowance for labour. If this were taken into consideration it would work out at under 4d per hour for the 600 hours of labour per annum spent in tending the poultry.' He asked: “How would wheat-growers like to work for this remuneration?" BRILLIANT TALKIE PICTURE. KING’S THEATRE PROGRAMME. ’ “Chasing Rainbows,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s new musical romantic drama, is being shown at the King’s Theatre, Stratford. It is a dazzling spectacle of breath-taking beauty, uproarious comedy, thrilling drama, and idyllic romance. Its tuneful numbers are interwoven by the hand of sta.ge genius into glittering dancing ensembles, -spiced with°technico*iour sequences that delight the eye. Charles King and Bessie Love are responsible for some more wonderful team work, and their songs will be on everyone’s lips for a long time to ‘ come. “Liicky Me —Lovable You,” one of their love songs, is rendered especially effectively. . One -of the most spectacular technicolour scenes ever staged is seen in this picture. It is built around the song “Happy Days Arc Here Again/’ one of the "many big numbers of the show. A dancing and-singing ensemble of two hundred people participates in this remarkable finale number.