Fine-hit firm blames contractor

Classic Horse Coaches was prosecuted by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board and the Electrical Workers' Registration Board. Photo / Thinkstock

A Central Hawke's Bay horse coach manufacturer which pleaded guilty to dangerous gasfitting says it is paying the cost for someone else's work.

Classic Horse Coaches, which was fined $23,000 for two cases of dangerous gasfitting, said to Hawke's Bay Today in a letter to the editor today that the incident happened four years ago and was rectified at the time.

Letter writer Andrew Wright said the work was caused by a contracted gas fitter who "portrayed" he was certified and their only fault was to not check on the contractor's credentials. Mr Wright said all its trucks were certified by qualified fitters and certifications were completed by certified gas inspectors.

Classic Horse Coaches was prosecuted by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board and the Electrical Workers' Registration Board, after complaints of refrigerators overheating.

Mr Wright said the company wasn't prosecuted for dangerous wiring as said in yesterday's article. He said it was a well respected company in the industry and in Hawke's Bay.