ARBITRATION COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2204, 7 October 1907, Page 2

ARBITRATION COURT.

Press Association,

INVERCARGILL, Oct. 5. At the Arbitration Court to-day, judgment was reserved in the case of Rrassott v. Stephens, a claim for £3OO compensation for the loss of the sight of ail eye. The case of Harold Gtudholme v. Joseph Mars was an appeal from the finding of Mr. McCarthy, S.M., who awarded £75 to Mays for an accident sustained in appellant’s service. The allegation of appellant was that there was no evidence of permanent injury involving incapacity, permanent or partial. The Court, after hearing counsel, made ail order for £1 a week compensation from September 1. 1900, to June 27, 1907. In McCallum v. McKenzie, an appeal against Mr. McCarthy's decision in awarding £35 compensation to McKenzie. whom he found to be partially dependent upon his soil, Duncan McKenzie, who was drowned in Mata lira River while in the employ of appellant, the Court held that the evidence of dependence was sufficient, decision being reserved on the

point as to whether the accident occurred ill the course of work for appellant. This concluded tlie Court's business.

A CORNER IN BOTTLES.

BOTTLING FIRM BUYS UP ALL AVAILABLE SUPPLIES. Press Association. DUNEDIN, Oct. 4. A startling and unusual development has taken place in the local bottle trade. The number of quart beer bottles at present available in the Dominion is limited, and considerable competition has hitherto existed in tho bottling trades in securing an adequate supply. In order that each firm might have an equal chance an agreement was entored into by tho different firms carrying on business in Dunedin some years ago, that no more than Is per dozen would be paid for bottles. So difficult of lato has it been to secure an adequate supply, however, that this agreement has on several occasions been brokon, as much as Is 8d per dozen being paid. Messrs Thompson and Company resented the action on the part of other firms, and having adopted a system of retaliation by endeavoring to corner tho bottle market, last night they advertised that they wereprepared to pay 2s 6d per dozen for quart ale bottles, and to-day no less than 1000 dozen of the required articles were delivered at their factory. Similar action is being taken by tho firm’s branches in other parts of tho South Island, and it is expected that within thro© weeks all the available bottles in this part of tho Dominion will be the property of Messrs Thompson and Company. A member of ono bottling firm states that owing to the increase in the price of bottles, _it may be necessary to raise the price of bottled ales and stout in order to avoid a loss.

PROBABLE RISE IN BOTTLED BEER. DUNEDIN.'Oct. 6. The corner in bottles is" causing quite a flutter locally. Up to the iresent Thompson and. Co. have iouglit about 2000 dozen bottles at 2s 6d per dozen. Mr. Keast, of Powley and Keast, bottlers, says that if the fight continues the price of beer and stout must go up to Is or perhaps Is 6d. It is contended that under the old agreement of paying Is per dozen for bottles all importing was left to three firms, who were put to an expense of from Is 6d to Is 8d per dozen, while tho other firms were securing bottles at Is per dozen. From all accounts the consumption of English ale is not 50 great as formerly. This is assigned as one cause of the shortage of bottles.