INSURANCE CLAIM

Hokitika Guardian, 17 June 1931, Page 5

INSURANCE CLAIM

WAIROA FARMERS’ CO-OP. MEAT COY. FURTHER PARTICULARS. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association) GISBORNE, June 17. Harold Johnston, K.C. opening the case stated tiiat to plaintiffs, amount claimed meant everything, m solvency or bankruptcy. Stoppage of works already caused a considerable loss to tne district and if it were not ready b.v September, the loss would be almost untold. The cause was also of importancemthroughout the Dominion to people who had lost chimneys. The Underwriters Association in Alarch advertised that owners of properties uaniaged by quakes'could rest assured that tlie policies remained free and at no time had there been a remission ny Coys, of any premium on the view that the policies bad ceased by reason of earthquake damage. Derendants were adopting the defence that they ■had had to discard in all other cases in the Dominion. The works of plaintiff were practically untouched by the quake, so little damage being done that it could have been repaired by the staff* in a couple of days. Up to the moment of the fire the works were working normally. The Hire was located by- the works' staff, tbs fliv brigade and a constable in the store, which move had been out of commission four or five years and in which there was nothing tiiat the earthquake could have caused to ignite. The electric wiivs in the store had been cut and tapped, so it was not possible that electric current caused the fire. The building was electrically dead. There could not he a clearer case of a non-earthquake fire. After .the quake the mach.nery operated perfectly and thiy got a normal reduction of temperature. The policy was on the buildings which were set out separately with their contents, yet defendants pleaded the policy was on the whole building and were suggesting because the parapet of one building fell the whole policy was vitiated. The most spectacular effect of the earthquake at Wairoa, Air Johnston continued, was the damage to the bridge but the condition of the bridge did not affect the efficiency of the brigade as defendants inferred. The earthquake in AVairoa on February 3 appeared to have acted along definite boundaries and along the line on which the works stood. No buildings seemed to have been damaged to any great extent. ’The works sustained no-substan-tial damage and were in full working order immediately power was restored.

Plaintiff immediately notified the company of the fire and a week later urged damages be assessed because of the appalling position in which the community were placed and the importance of getting under way at once.

~,.i p 24 a letter was .received! from the General Manager of the N.Z. Insurance Coy. denying liability Air Jonstou bad not concluded his address at tlie luncheon adjournment.