THE HUNTLY DISASTER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 22, 26 May 1915, Page 3

THE HUNTLY DISASTER.

ALLOTMENT OF COMPENSATION, Pkk Press Association. Auckland, May 20. There was a painful reminder of the disaster which caused the death of over forty miners at Huntly at the Supremo Court this morning, when more than a score of widows and her eavo<] relatives appeared hefore Mr Justice Cooper to hear his Honor's apportionment of compensation as agreed upon with the Taupiri Coal Mines Limited. Mr T. M. Wilford appeared for the widows and Mr U. L. Ziman for the orphans. in the case of the children of the late William Patterson the plaintiff was the Public Trustee, there being no mother living. Mr Wilford said that the ages of the seven children ranged from two to sixteen (years. They had been sent to a home. .His llm'or made an order for the payment of £IOOO to the Public Trustee as admin stratO'' of the estate, the Public J rm-te-3 t< have liberty to apply to the Court for direction as to the method of ulministration.

Alice Jane Jones deposed that by the death of her husband she had been left a widow. She had no one depen lent upon her.

His Honor: The plaintiff is entitled to £775. What does she propose to do with tlie money?

.Mr Wilford replied that on Ids advice the plaintiff had agreed to pay the amount direct to the Public Tiustce. It would go to the common fund and would bear interest at the rate i ! •I per. cent. The principal could be drawn upon from time to time. His Honor commended that decision, remarking that a woman was not usually able to deal with large sums ol money. His Honor made an order for the payment of £775 to the plaintiff.

Janet Hint, for the loss of two sons upon whom she was dependent, was allowed £770 ; Agnes Itamson, a widow with no children of the marriage, was allowed £77-1; Knima .Mayland and William Robert .Maylaud were Jointly allowed £2OO for the loss of their son ; Charles Allen and his wife were similarly treated in respect of the loss of their son ; William Thompson was allotted £2OO for himself and his wife because of the death of their son ; Ellen Holer, of (iisborno. was awarded £2OO for herself Tor the loss of her son. (Plaintiff stated that her husband was a harbor hoard employee, earning hi-; own living*!; Robert J/.att was allowed £2OO for himself and his wife in respect of the loss of their son.

When he came to the allotment of compensation to widows with children, his Honor said that he would follow the procedure which he had adopted in other cases—namely, to allot a third of the compensation to the widow and the rejnaining two-thirds to the Public Trustee for division among the children.

Mr Wilford agreed that the apportionment was fair in a ease whore there was more than one child. Ho thought, however, that where there was a family of one the child should not get. so nine!) more 1 than the mother. His Honor pointed out that the youth of the child justiiied the allocation of a larger amount. Where there was more than one child, the Public Trustee would be asked to prepare a. scheme of distribution

Orders lor the payment of ono-tliird of fJ77.*> (£2oH (Is Sd), in each widow, the remaining two-thirds (£57(5 Bis hi) to the Public Trustee on behalf of the children in each case, were made as follow:-—Hannah Taylor. Janet Slaviu. Janet .Jackson, Janet Pater.son, Elizabeth HoJdon, Florence Robinson, Sarah Huston, Sarah Greener, Fanny "Burton, Bessie Kelly. Susannah Blonkiusop, Ethel Hooper and Margaret Brocklobank.

Mr Wilford informed his Honor thai the amount, of compensation allowed by the company approximated very closely to the claims originally made. He felt justiiied in stating that the settlements were in all respects gener-