HUNTLY DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2471, 26 May 1915, Page 4

HUNTLY DISASTER

COMPENSATION CLAIMS GENEROUS SETTLEMENTS (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, May 25. A painful reminder of tho disaster which caused tho death of over forty miners at Kuntly was given at the Supremo Court this morning, when mora than a score of widows and bereaved relatives appeared before Mr! Justice Cooper to hear His Honour's apportionment of compensation as agreed upon with the Taupiri Coal Mines, Ltd. Mr. T. M. Wilford appeared for tho widows, and Sir. R. L. iJiman for tho orphans; in the case of the children of the late William Patterson, the plaintiff was the Public Trustee, there being no mother living. Mr. Wilford said that the ages ol the seven children ranged from two to sixteen years. They had been sent to a home. His Honour made an order for payment of £1000 to the Public Trustee as administrator of the estate, the Public Trustee to have liberty to apply to the Court for direction as to the method of administration. Alice Jane Jones deposed that by the death of her husband she had been left a widow. She had no ono dependent upon her. His Honour: "The plaintiff is entitled to £775; what does she propose doing with the money?" Mr. AVilford replied that on his advice the plaintiff had agreed to pay the amount direct to the Public Trustee. It would go to the common fund, and would bear interest at the rate of- 4 per cent. The principal could be drawn upon from time to time. His Honour commended this decision, remarking that a woman was not usually able to deal with largo sums of money. The Judue made an order for the payment of £775 to tho plaintiff, Janet Burt, for the loss of two sons upon whom she was dependent. Agnes Ransom, a widow with no children of tho marriage, was allowed £775. Emma Mayland and William Robert Mayland were jointly allowed £200 for the loss of their son. Charles Allen and his wife were similarly treated in respect of the loss of their son. William Thompson was allotted £200 for himself and his wife because of the death of their son. ■ -Ellen Pooler, of Gisborne, was awarded £200 for herself for tho loss of her son. Plaintiff stated that her husband was a Harbour Board employee earning his own living. Robert Izatt was allowed £200 for himself and his wife in respeot of tho loss of their son. When he came to the allotment of compensation to widows with children His Honour said that he would follow the procedure which he had adopted in other cases, namely, to allot a third of the compensation to the widow and the ■remaining two-thirds to- the Public Trustee for division among the children. Mr. Wilford agreed that the apportionment was fair in a case where there was more than one child. Ho thought, however, that where there was a family of one the child should not get so much more than the mother. His Honour pointed out that the youth of the child justified the allocation of a larger amount. Where there was more than one child the Publio Trustee would be asked to prepare a scheme of distribution. Orders for payment of one-third of £775 (£258 6s. Bd.) to each widow, the remaining two-thirds (£576 13s. 4d.) to tho Public Trustee on. behalf of the children in each case, were made as follow Hannah Taylor, Janet Siavin, Janet Jackson, Janet Paterson, Elizabeth Holden, Florence Robinson, Sarah Ruston, Sarah Greener, Fanny Burton, Bessie Kelly, Susannah Blenkinsop, Ethel Hopper, and Margaret Brocklebank. Mr. Wilford informed His Honour that the amount of compensation allowed by the company approximated very closely to the claims originally made. He felt justified in stating that the settlements were in all respects generous.