THE DEATH OF WILLIAM POWELL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4553, 28 May 1898, Page 2

THE DEATH OF WILLIAM POWELL.

The circumstances connected with the death of the unfortunate young man Wva. Powell at Millers Flat bridge can hardly tend to impress people very favorably with the conduct of those on whotr^ the responsibility for the sad evenb resfcs. It would seem incredible, if one did not know something of the callousness of contractors, I o think that for the sake of a few pieces of planking the lives of workmen employed on the bridge should be jeopardised, and through the same cause one man actually slaughtered. Naturally feeling runs very high at Millers Flat, where the circumstances are well known, and the contractors are condemned in the most unqualified maurer for the ignorance, recklessness or meanness whichever it was that led to the tragic death of young Powell. The circumstance that led to his death was specifically pointed out by the jury at the inquest on the body, and it will now be for the contractors to show to what ex- , tent the responsibility rests on them. ' Generally speaking contractors are or, at all events, have been, accustomed ta look on the killing of a workman in this way as nothing more than a mere incident in the progress of a large undertaking, though the law, more drastic and searching than it uspd to be, has compelled them for their owu safety to exercise a little more cnution in safeguarding the lives of their employes. Whether Messrs Anderson have done so in this instance remains to be proved. One thing is, however, certain, that, for some time past it was a subject of general comment that the scaffolding provided by the contractors was glaringly inadequate for the dangerous j nature of the work, and that sooner or 1 later loss of life was certain to occur.. Did the contractors hear nothing of this through their foreman or from other sources? Further, it may be askpd whether Messrs Anderson were not informed by a perpon holding a responsible position on the works that the scaffolding was insufficient and suggesting that some attention should be given to the matter ? Bub irrespective of this, Mr Anderson himself was personally cognisant of the kind of scaffolding to which the lives of the workmen were committed. Why did he not take such steps as would assure him thab the lives of his workmen were protected, as far as all reasonable and experienced precaution could go? Perhaps he did. But the verdict of tbe jury says no. The scaffolding, they have stated in their rider, was insufficient, and to thab cause wfi must conclude the death of Powell is to be attributed. No doubt in such matters the responsibility for such an occurrence, where negligence or recklessness exists, primarily rests on the foreman employed by the firm, which means that in such a case the firm itself legally takes the undivided responsibility. And this being soj one naturally wonders whether in this instance Messrs Anderson placed themselves in the hands of their foreman and took no steps to inform themselves by personal observation whether reasonable means were taken to protecb the lives of their employes. We had an opportunity recently of seeing Mr Anderson before the County Council pleading for indulgence where indulgence was scarcely deserved, and were impressed chiefly by the facfe thab where his personal interests or the interests of his firm are concerned he is capable of going a long way to secure an advantage. A little of the same resourceful and inflexible purpose directed towards the welfare of his workmen would unquestionably be attended with pood results and might easily have prevonied the deplorable accident -if accident it can be called — which has JU6t OC" curred. It is horrible to think that through the petty meanness implied in 1 the verdict of the jury Powell should be battered iuto a pulp while engaged in the faithful and diligent discharge of his dutj\ That, at all events, is what the rider of the coroner's jury.means, and jt will be for Messrs Anderson to show that they are not reponsible for Powell's death.