A FOREMAN'S DEATH

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 69, 23 April 1929, Page 9

A FOREMAN'S DEATH

Per Press Association.

GOVERNNIENT ENGINEER'S STATEMENT. TOOK UNNECESSARY RISK.

"WELLINGTON, This day. In consequence of various allegations against the Puhlic Works I)epartment with regard to the drowning of a foremnn, Mr Iloffman, at the "Waitaki Electric Worlcs, tlie engineer has forwarded tlie following report to tlie Minister in refutation of "tlie incorreet, and misleading statement which has appeared." He say's : — "Alr Hoffman erdered two men to 'streteh a plank from tlie barge to a buoy in order to remove a piece of jvire rope from tlie latter. It was dangerous and the men verv properly refused as there was no oceasion to talie sucli a ri.sk, when all tliat was Tieeessarv was to let tlie barge - fioat down to tlie buoy. "Alr Hoffman tlien gnt astride tlie plank himself, witbout taking any precautions, probably out of sheer hravado. "When he reached tlie buoy, his wpiglit tilted it and he fell into the river, running hetween six nnd seven miles per hotu* and was drown;ed." As to the charge of not providing life belts and boafs, tlie engineer says that two bonts wero in eonstant attendanee. six life belts were kept and it was Mr Hoffman's own business as foremnn to soe l1-at there was one on the bridge. The faet that he neglected to do so was his own responsibility.