LIFE ON MACQUARIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1860, 20 September 1913, Page 8

LIFE ON MACQUARIES.

PRIVATION ALLEGED.

OIL'WINNERB SUE MR. HATCH.

(By Teloßrßph.—Press Association.) Invercargill, September 19. At the Magistrate's Court to-day, Joseph Hatch, lessee of the Macquario Islands, was sued by several men who had worked for him collecting penguin and sea elephant oil at the island. There wero six plaintiffs, tl\o amounts of their claims ranging from £77 to £106. The men claimed damages for missing the first_ penguin season owing to tho late arrival of tho ship which took the s m to the island, and they also claimedtdamages for privations suffered during the last four month's of their stay at the Macquaries. , Mr. Hatch said that the undertaking was a hazardous one, and anyone taking part 'necessarily took a share in tho risks. ' Ho detailed the quantities of stores which he had sent to the island, and claimed that the • men had been hotter provided for than he was in his own house. He was prepared to swear that ono of the plaintiffs (Martin) returned from the island in better health than whan, ho went down. ' After hearing evidence, the • magistrate (Mr. Cruickshank) said that it appeared as though a partnership had been entered into, and that tho men entering on such a venture, and knowing the privation that they would havo to suffer, could hardly'seek to recover for privations endured. Judgment was reserved.