DUNEDIN TRAGEDIES.
DUNEDIN, Sept. 25.
Eileen Julia Downie, aged 14 years and nine months, whose parents reside in Melbourne Street, South Dunedin, and who was employed at Findlay's Blouse and Shirt Factory, was fatally injured this afternoon. She was found with her hair wound round a machine other than the one at which she was working. Her scalp was torn off and her neck dislocated. Death occurred on the way to the hospital. At the inquest on the body of George Head, who was found dead at Milburn yesterday, the evidence indicated that deceased had placed some gelignite under his arm, the explosion causing fatal injuries. A verdict that death was due to injuries self-inflicted, while of unsound mind, was returned. -Ashburton Guardian, 26/9/1918.
Deaths
DOWNIE. — On September 25 (accidentally), Eileen Julia, youngest daughter of Harry and Charlotte Downie, Melbourne street, aged 14 years 9 months. R.I.P. Private interment. — Hugh Gourley, undertaker. -Otago Daily Times, 26/10/1918.
A LITTLE WORKER
Hew Eileen Julia Downie Died
THE FATALITY AT FINDLAY'S FACTORY.
Better Provision for Protection of Life Urged.
(Prom "Truth's" Dunedin Rep.)
An inquest was held at Dunedin last week before Coroner Young, S.M., concerning the death of Eileen Julia Downie (14 1/2 years of age), who was caught in the machinery while at work at Findlay and Co.'s blouse and shirt factory, and suffered such injury that death resulted.
Senior-Sergeant Murray represented the police, Mr. J. C. Stephens appeared for the employing firm, and Mr. A. C. Hanlon for the relatives of the deceased.
Eadie Moir stated that she was in charge of the department in which deceased had worked, and a bump, coming from the direction of a revolving shaft, attracted her attention. She also
HEARD A SLIGHT SCREAM from the girl working opposite the shaft, with her hair twisted round it, at No. 2 table. There was no need for her to go under the table, and she could not account for her being there. When witness gave her directions the deceased's hair was tied up at the back, and she had a velvet band tied round her head. The rule of the room was that hair was not to be worn hanging, but done up as this girl's was. The girl had been in the factory about five months, and was a very capable worker. The machine she was employed at was the one she was most accustomed to. It was quite probable she was going to another machine for something when the accident happened. There was sufficient room for such a little girl to go over the shaft. About forty girls were employed in that room.
To Mr. Stephens: If she had heard of girls going under the tables she would have stopped it.
To Mr. Hanlon: If something fell and rolled under the table a girl need not go under the table. She could get something to pull it out. In her 12 months' experience she had never seen girls stooping under to pull things out. She had never heard of narrow escapes, or of
CLOTHING BEING CAUGHT.
Eileen Agnes Devereux stated that she felt something strike her legs, heard a bump, and saw deceased lying under the table, upon which she switched off the power. She did not know that there was any necessity to go under the table over the shaft. Witness had warned deceased two or three times in this connection.
To Mr. Hanlon: Deceased was the only girl who went under the table.
Dr. A. J. Cotterill described the position in which he found deceased. The shaft was across her chest, and her hair was round the shaft. Her neck was broken. He would think, from the position of the body, that the girl had approached the shaft from between two tables, but he could not say positively.
Edith Hogg said that she had twice seen deceased going under the table, and had warned her.
Thos. A. Mason, cutter at the factory, said he was in the warehouse when he heard the machinery stop. It was his duty to turn the power on and off. He went to inquire, and found deceased under the shaft. He cut the guard board to straighten out the body. He was not sure of the exact height of the shaft from the floor.
Mr. Hanlon said that according to the plan it was eight inches.
L. B. Browett (inspector of factories) stated that the guard under the table was really a dress guard, and effective for that purpose, but not much use if anybody got under the table. It was the ordinary guard used for that sort of machine.
To Mr. Hanlon: There were three kinds of guards in use at the factory. One ran in a cylinder and another was really a fence. The guard at the machine where the accident happened was a perpendicular board, and an effective guard for the dress. If any employee hung her head over the shaft her hair might be caught. The guard was effective if ordinary care was used.
William Anderson (Inspector of machinery) said he saw the machinery Immediately after the accident. It was all in order. He considered that the machinery was sufficiently guarded by the board if ordinary care were taken. The mechanic at the factory was there to take out anything from under the machines. He had never suggested any improvements to Mr. Findlay.
To Mr. Hanlon: He did not think there was anything to choose between this board guard and the guard on newer machines. The cylinder guard was a greater protection to
THE LIVES OF THE WORKERS than the single board guard at the particular place where the accident happened, but it was no greater protection at the ends.
Mr. Hanlon: Would it not be safer if all the machinery was covered as it is covered with the newer machines?
Witness: I cannot say it is necessary, with ordinary care.
But is it not the fact that these accidents happen where there is not ordinary care? — That is so.
Well, leaving out "ordinary care," would not the guard with three or four bars up the side prevent an accident? —There would be more difficulty in getting between the bars.
The girl could not have got her head between? — She could not get passage way.
And will anything be done now to put the bar along? — I would not suggest it.
Not after hearing that the girls stoop under to pick up things, you would not suggest that anything should be done to improve it? Is that so? — That is so.
Mr. Hanlon: Things will go on to kill some more, I suppose.
The Coroner: If a girl stoops down and the bars are there her hair cannot be caught? — That is so.
Is it not a better prevention than the guard that was at the table? — Well, yes, it would be better.
It would cut off the risk of a girl being caught by her hair? — Yes.
Sergeant Murray said that that was all the evidence he proposed to call.
Mr. Stephens said that another of the workers was in attendance, and she might as well be called.
Alice Milward said that she had been at this factory a little over three years. When anything fell
IT WAS VERY. RARE that it went under so far that the girls had to go near the shaft. If she could not reach a thing she would give it a knock to the other side.
To Mr. Hanlon: There was no man in attendance at the beck and call of the girls. If a girl dropped anything, she had to get it herself. Ordinary stooping meant no risk. There was a risk in stooping underneath.
The Coroner said his verdict would be that death was the result of injuries received through being accidentally caught by the hair by a revolving shaft. At No. 3 table there were several bars on either side of the shaft, and these would prevent a girl being caught by the hair or by any loose material. At No. 1 table the shaft was in a cylinder. At. No. 2 table the machinery was apparently the first introduced into the factory, and the guard was similar to that used in other places. With it there was a danger if ordinary care was not used, and the inspector of machinery said it would be more satisfactory if there were bars at No. 2 table. It seemed to him (Mr. Young) fairly certain that this fatality would not have occurred if there had been bars at No. 2 table. At No. 3 table a girl might get her arm in but no more. There was no evidence to show how the girl came (portion missing) -NZ Truth, 12/10/1918.
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