ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 11, 8 October 1918, Page 3

ARBITRATION COURT

CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION,

The Arbitration Court sat yesterday morning and heard a claim for compensation.' On the Jjench were His Honour Mr. Justice Stringer, and Mr. \V. Scott (employers' representative), and Mr. J. A. M'Oullougn (representative of the workers). . •/

Eliza Mary M.'Cann, widow, Wellington, for whom Mr. P. J. O'Kegan appeared, claimed from the Union S.S. Co., Ltd., represented by Mr. P. Levi, compensation for the death of her husband, Joseph M'Cann, hulk-keepor, in charge of the hulk Tobias, who was accidentally drowned, on July "2i, 1918, such accident arising out of aaid in the"course; of his employment. The widow said'that she was , a total dependant on the earnings of her late liusbaaid, and claimed £'500 by .way of compensation, ,togetlier 'with funeral expenses, and.costs. . The defendant company admitted that Joseph M'Cann was on the date in questiim in charge of the hulk Tobias, but denied that the plaintiff was a total dependant on the contributions of the said Joseph M'Cann.

Mr. O'Regan, in opening, stated that the widow did not live on tfye hulk with her husband, although they were on very good terms. Mrs. M'Cann lived.ashore at 19 Matai Road, Hataitai.' Her husband always came ashore on Friday, when he'gave her £2. She had two children by her former marriage, and they were- both grown up..' . " Mr. Levi, for the defendant company, said that the company, might have raised the question as to proof of the accident having arisen out of the course of the man's employment, but did not wish to raise the point. The company morely desired to have the-judgment of the Court because the parties had been living apart, although not separated. f The' Court awarded the plaintiff £500, also £15 2s. 6d. funeral expenses, and £5 ss. costs.