ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2545, 20 August 1915, Page 9

ARBITRATION COURT

CLAIM AGAINST U.S.S. COMPANY. .Cases under the Workers' Compensation Act occupicd tho attention of the Arbitration Court yesterday, before His Honour Mr. Justice Stringer, and Messrs. E. F. Duthie (employers' representative) and J. A. M'Cullough (workers' 'representative). Wlll. James Smith, a fireman, claimed compensation from the Union Steam Ship Company, Ltd. His statement set out that while employed 011 the Maitai on January 31, then travelling from Sydney to Wellington, he fell down the stokehold and sustained a fractured skull a.nd other injuries. His average weakly earnings were £2 6s. 2d., and tho claim was for compensation for total and' permanent incapacity on that basis. ' 1 "

For the defence it was admitted that plaintiff niet with an accident, and suffered injury, but it was denied that he sustained .a. fractured skull, and it was further ccijntended that he had' long since recovered from the injuries received. and that any incapacity he mijrht now. suffer ivas wholly uncounect--ed with the accident. The defendant company denied that plaintiff was totally and pennanently disabled from performing work of any kind. Mr. P. J. O'Regaai appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr.. 11.I 1 . Levi for the defendant company. After hearing medical evidence, His Honour said that his present impression was that tile evidence did not show that epileptic fits, from Which plaintiff suffered wen's not the result of the accident. Tho Court would award half wages from ! the date of the accident, and if further inquiry into plaintiff's medical history threw any light on the matter, application could be made to the Court to redhice or commute the payment. Costa £7 75., with witnesses expenses and disbursements) were allowed plaintiff.

"WATERSIDE WORKERS' CLAIM. A claim for compensation Kas brought by Benjamin Clifford, waterside worker, against tho jShaw, Savill, and Albion Co. Accordiing to tho statement of claim, ])lainti:ff was assisting to discharge the Corinthic on April 20, 1914,. when a. bale ol: goods fell on him, crushing his right lioot. _ His average weekly earnings at : the_time were £3 2s. 4d., and he had received compensation at tho rate of £I'. lis. 2d. There was a conflict of evid'ence as to tho degree of permanence of the incapacitation. After some evidence had been taken, Mr. P. J,. O'Regan, on behalf of plaintiff,' offered 'to accept a lump sum of compensation, representing six months' wages. For the defendants, Mr. H. E. Evans accepted, this as a basis of settletaent. Judgment was entered accordingly, with .costs £5 6sfor plaintiff.

INTERPRETATION OF AN AWARD. (By Telestash;.—Press Association.) Dunedin, August 19. The Magistrate's Court ' to-day was occupied with the hearing of a case, Dunedin Typographical Union v. the "Otago Daily Times"' and 'Witness" Company. 1 Tho claim was that tho company refused to permit operators to chargo for a blook in a certain advertisement. 'The point at issue is whether operators! aro entitled to charge for blocks, and airgument is proceeding as to interpretation of the award.