TOWN HALL FATALITY.
DEATH OF ALFRED HIGHLEY.
VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH.
In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew. S.M., sitting as coroner, an inquest was held into the circumstances attending the death of Alfred Highley, who was killed while working at the Town Hall on the morning of June 5. Sergeant Vaughan watched the proceedings on behalf of the police. Mr C. L. Calvert appeared for the relatives of the deceased, Mr M. Paterson for the Love Construction Company, and Mr G. T. Lightfoot for the Labour Department.
Mr F. Barton, inspector of scaffolding, was also present.
Frank Henry Ball, foreman of the Love Construction Company at the new Town Hall, stated that he was supervising the work as usual on the day of the accident. Under his direction four men were engaged in lowering some of the scaffolding. Two men were on the fall block tackle, on the St. John Ambulance side of. the fence, which was about five feet high, and another man was inside the Town Hall building, on another block and tackle. The deceased's duty was to disconnect two beams which were being lowered, so that they could be brought down separately. There was a distance of 15 feet between the place where the deceased released the beams and where he was caught. The first thing witness knew of the accident. was when he saw the deceased pinned between the beam and a cement barrel. The deceased was a very able workman, and had been on the job since April, 1927. Witness did not see the accident: no one on the job saw it. The method employed was the safest that could have been employed. Witness's idea was that the deceased went to shift a barrel to safeguard himself. The men who were taking the weight on the block and tackle could not see the deceased; they were waiting for a signal from him. The block and tackle were in good order.
Donald Austin, labourer, employed at the Town Hall, said he was assisting in the lowering of scaffolding on the day of the accident. He took his signals from Barrowman. It was not possible for Barrowman, where he was standing, to see the deceased. Witness saw deceased after he had been lifted from under the beam.
John William Alexander Barrowman, labourer, employed by the Love Construction Company, who was assisting in lowering the beam, said he was in charge of a block and tackle. When the beam got to a certain position its weight came on to witness’s tackle, which was strong enough to hold a weight three times as heavy as the beam. After Austin had pulled the beam clear witness began to lower the beam, having received the signal to do so from the deceased. The deceased gave the signal that all was ready and then the signal to lower. The beam was under control until it was about five feet from the ground. Witness did hot see the accident. He heard someone call out “Hold on,” but it was then too late to hold the beam. Witness did not know whose voice it was.
Albert George Arthur Tait, crane driver, corroborated previous evidence.
Sergeant Vaughan, stationed at Dunedin, said he was called to the Town Hall last Wednesday morning, about half-past 11. He saw the deceased lying on the ground. His head was badly crushed.
The coroner said the evidence showed that there was nothing wrong with the methods employed in dismantling the scaffolding. The material used was sufficient and proper for the purpose. It was unexplained how the deceased, who was in charge of the work, came to get into a dangerous position under the falling beam. It could only be a matter of surmise. He had plenty of room to move about, and the reason why he came to be in the position in which he met with his death was altogether inexplicable. The verdict would be that death was due to injuries received by the deceased being accidentally crushed by a falling beam. -Otago Daily Times, 11/6/1929.
IN MEMORIAM.
HIGHLEY. — In fond memory of my dear husband, Alfred Highley, accidentally killed on June 5, 1929.
To memory ever dear.
— Inserted by his loving wife and little Milton. -Evening Star, 5/6/1930.
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