AGGRIEVED PASSENGER

Southland Times, Issue 18849, 15 June 1920, Page 7

AGGRIEVED PASSENGER

CLAIM AGAINST SHIPPING COMPANY. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 14. A caye in which a passenger had been disappointed in not getting the berth he required was he.trd in the Magistrate’s Court to day, when George Louis Ostler proceeded against the Union Company for £ll 8s 9d. Counsel said that plaintiff bought three return saloon tickets from Lyttelton to Wellington. lie went to Auckland, and because he was away longer than he anticipated, he Paul an extra five shillings to have his ticket extended. He also paid a similar sum for a deck cabin and was claiming for half the cost of the ticket, with .£lO damages for breach of contract in that the company had had not given him special saloon berthing accommodation. Plaintiff in his evidence said that instead of a deck cabin he U'.d to accept accommodation in the hold. The defence contended that if plaintiff was not satisfied with the accommodation he was given he should have gone to the proper authorities. Had he done this he would have been- given his choice of six deck cabins. He was given a saloon berth, although it was known as an “omnibus cabin.” The claim was laid under Section IS3 of the Shipping and Seamen Act, but as it was not lodged within the specified time plaintiff was out of Court. Plain till was nonsuited on the grounds that the claim had been made beyond the time allowed by the Act.