FATAL EXPLOSION.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19945, 23 July 1936, Page 7

FATAL EXPLOSION.

—_._¢._____ OORONIR RITURNS VERDICT. i 1 COMPANY NOT NEGLIGEN’I‘. ‘ _ ‘ (By Telegraph rruu \ssr-"intlnnJ AUCKLAND, Thursday. 1 “My duty is to trod the cause" of ideceased's death. and that is simple,“ ‘said the Coroner. Mr W. 11. )chean, 5..\1., at the conclusion of the inquest ‘yesterday into the de‘ath of Patricia .\lurion Clittord, aged 18, who was ‘killed in the explosion in the Colonial Ammunition Company‘s factory, Mt. Eden, .lune -’n. “Death was due to multiple injuries caused by an explosion. It would he my duty also it‘ there we're ‘any obvious defect or neglect by the toompany to refer to that. The com—pany has been just as anxious as anyone to ascertain the real cause.“ To ascertain exactly what hap—pened was Impossible, and one had to make certain assumptions. he said. Mr Butcher had mado a number of experiments, and he had no reason for dis—agreeing with the xonciusion reached. A number of explosions had occurred in the machine when it was first Installed and was helm-,- operated by the superintendent, but the trouble had hee‘n rectified before the machine had been handed over to a girl operator, and it. had since operated without trouble. No Detect in Machine. i “I do not think there was any defeet in the mar'hine'. as after the ex—plosion undischarged claps were found in earl] compartment of it." said the coroner. " It seems highly improbable that the explosion commenced ln‘ the machine." The‘ explosion could have been] caused only by some slight accident in the. handling of the trays containing" raps. It had been established now that. the type of can used was more‘ sensitive than the company had been in the. habit. of using. They had beeni imported on the rcriificatc of a re-‘ puts-bin company. but it. would appear that. they did not. cmnply with the regulations. That did not mean they were unsafe to use. only that some ditI‘ero‘nt method of handling them must lie devised. ‘llo could not find that there had been any defect in the machine or the plant. nor did he think Ihern was any want of rare. as far as the‘ company was ronrerncd. to see that, employers were instructed. They knew there was a certain amount of danger, and a warning was given to employee whose duty it was to do any work or this kind. ARBITRATION COURT. . ___..___. STOREMEN AND PAOKIRS. t i VARIOUS APPLICATIONS. ‘ (By Telegraph—Press Association.) ‘ WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The New Zeaiand Storemen and Parkers' Federation applied to the‘ Arbitration tlourt to-day for an amend—ment to part of its award relating to hours of work. The application \\'as‘ opposed by wholesale. importing firms. fruit and produce merchants and manufacturers, for whom it was stated} that it was essential for \\'holesalei vstahlislnnonts to observe. the some: hours as “10 retail houses. The bust-i ust period for stormnon and packet-51 was Saturday morning. ; Fur lin- \\'ui‘kt‘i's it. was pointed outt that the Lli‘:l'.~t I‘lll]b|l!_\t‘l'.~i ot‘ slorei labour in the immitlion. \\'oulwol‘lhs,‘ had no utijl‘i'lillii to a ill-hour weekd 'l'hv lZuln'l y-rwrxml its drriainn. ‘ \n .npptii'utiun \\'.ls also ‘lli‘ili'tt t‘rmn‘ rnmpanirs onxagwl in sm'dAlt‘aning and‘ dressing: for an I‘.\irn.~iUn of working‘ imnr.‘ to it with a tint-hour period In m-ntlnnnns \\ork imtwcrn meals. I: \\.l.\ claimed that ”lt‘ \\nrk \\as wuwnal and mum not he spread Over iiw \\'lmln‘ .wur. llf‘t‘lhtllii \\as re~ .\l'l'\l‘lt. \l liw mslunrn ot‘ the employers. an .ilnluill‘.lllvnl I’l-li' tltl't‘t‘V .ipplinrdiun tor the iwtvnsiun ot‘ the in nunr \\Cl‘k in liriclt ltiln roses “as \\illiilrawn~ it living attiti'tl tilnt the nmtiwr \\.‘l> iu'ing' n'nnsidt'i't'd ivy the :n-irlrnmkrrs ihiougholrt New Zea—|zliil[. 111 l imhali' of the workers it was .ukrd ii' any oi“ the applications could 1..» ppm-.wiml with. but thr. judge in—iinmiv‘d that when an applirntiun was withdrawn .- new Ilnl‘ \\ns rmtuiretl‘ lwi'urr HIL' \'.tst' runld llr reopened, i , STOCK EXCHANGE. t ——-——o——— - i . THE AUCKLAND MARKET. ‘ ~—»—A~- i \iiy Tr’exr I'vn—~ \wy "IltHil‘. .\i'll|\'l.\\'li, 'l‘hursdny. Thi- fwllnvwlnp' .\.ill'\' \\l‘t‘t' rm-urdml .lt this mnrn'nu's rail on tho .\nrk» tint! "im'it I'l\l'h:|nm-:fl ‘ Northern Sic-am \'hip. 33‘ till. imnlnp i’urdrmn. ink Hit. ‘ UlHlitiii'il‘lJl liniil‘. 13‘s tint. ‘ K.lili'i 'l’imlu'r. fits l'tl. liwrui‘l. 'los. Hunk ..;' \a-w /--.ii.npi. his :id. Itink Ui‘ \v'w Smith \\';illw. fli‘.’ 13$. :....vmmi sun-It. I'.-owns. i 1...-,. 51m. 1&- lid The Moon Cali. .\na‘liidiiil Inn. '33s Tlt. \\..ui\\arth~, [vi'v‘l'.. 3"» 11d. i:_x.-r..i't, ins. .\u.~trali.ni liluss. 92> rid. i'iproi’l‘. ex rigiilS. litis.