COMPENSATION CLAIM

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1925, Page 4

COMPENSATION CLAIM

BY TELEGRAPH rRESS ASSN'., COPYRIGHT. CHRISTCHURCH, November 19. The ArbitraCTon Court, this morning heard a claim for compensation by Andrew Jack, sawmilling hand, front the Kntiieri-Hokitika Sawmilling Coy.. Ltd. .Mr ]•'. S. Wilding appeared for the plaintiff, and Air Gresson for the defendant company. Plaintiff claimed that lie had, while working for the defendants lifting tram rails, suffered a jar to his little finger on I'ohruary 9th. 1921. 11 is palm had been crushed and septic poisoning had resulted. As a. result he would he permanently partially incapacitated and would perhaps have to have future operations.

The defence was a complete denial of the accident, and also that the payments made had been tlie result ot ,t

Mr Wilding stated that the claimant Pad suffered a total permanent loss of the use of the hand, which would entitle him to 7ft per cent compensation, and partial loss of the use of the elhow. His average weekly earnings wort* Jit knitted to he Cl Is. Plainti fi had come to Christchurch, and had a long treatment in the Orthopaedic Hospital.

The plaintiff explained the circumstances of the accident, lie had been knocking train rails from dogs when |,o received the jar. lie had reported the accident.

To Mr Gresson: Plaintiff said that the jar had resulted from a jolt from

a sleeper yielding easier than had been expected. He had been unable to raise a hammer any more that day. Dr .J. 1,. A. Will, specialist in orthopaedic surgery, said he had had the plaintiff under treatment for a year. In his opinion, the whitlow had resulted from a jar. A septic poisoning, involving tlu* tendon ot the tingci. Pod spread the infection through the point of the hand. There remained a small amount of activity in the hand, but it was industrially useless. r lhis was supplemented by the tact that the sensations of the hand wore disorgan-

ized. He thought that the plamtiil

would he better with an amputation above the wrist and a hook. He would never get any better. lie would asses- the loss at 71) per cent, for total loss of the use of the hand. The stiffened elbow might also he taken into consideration. To Mr Gresson: Dr Will said he did not agree with a medical opinion that the thumb, index and second linger would regain )2o per cent ot their value within a year. To His Honour: Witness said that it was a east- where nature unassisted would never work any improvement. He thought that the hand was in a si a! ionarv condition. I>i- 11. T. D. Arkind said he had been surprised from his acquaintance with the case, that the plaintiff had not made more progress, and lie thought he would improve a little in future. To II is Honour: From a purely industrial point of view, he would advise him to have i ho hand oil' if it, did not improve within a year. He antieipali d more improvement ihan Dr Yt ill del. 11 is Honour -aid there was very little in dispute. Il the Court treated lie hand as a total loss, it would he a fair estimate, considering the disability ol l lie elbow. Judgment would he lor tin* plaintiff for lull compensation until August Ulsi. I and thereafter 70 per cent ol his earnings, as allowed by schedule. Costs were

figures, and where a woman is not ‘‘too old at forty.” The child mannequin begins to train at 7 years old. A special parade mannequin is paid a guinea a day. but the mannequin in a regular situation lias to begin at 2 guineas a week. Her training costs 10 guineas.