ALLEGED WRONGFUL DISMISSAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 316, 1 June 1911, Page 5

ALLEGED WRONGFUL DISMISSAL

BY CUSTOMS OFFICE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. An action against the Crown by Arthur Broad Reynolds, late landing waiter for the Customs Department at Auckland, for £3OOO damages for alleged wrongful dismissal, wa3 commenced this afternoon before Mr. Jastice Siin and a common ' ]uw of twelve. The ease came before the court as a petition under the Crown Suits Act. -Mr. R. B. Williams, with Mr. G. fl. Fell, appeared for Reynolds, and Mr. J. W. Salniond (Solietor-General) and with him Mr. A. W. Blair for the Crown. Petitioner, in Ms statement of claim, set fortli that he had been in the public service some twenty-six years, and that at the time of his msmissal on December 14th, 1009, he was in receipt of a salary of 1300 per annum. On June Ist, 1909, owing to ill-health, he went te Auckland (allegedly without leave) under medical advice, and on June 10th he was suspended, and a letter was sent to him from the Collector of Customs at Wellington, oharging him with being absent from duty without leave, with insobriety, and with the disobedience or orders. A board of inquiry, consisting of Messrs. J. A. Hutton and W. Bowles, reported on his case in July, and as the result of their report, petitioner was dismissed from tho public service on December 14th. Petitioner urged that the sitting of the Board was illegal and was not consonant with natural justice. In consequence of his dismissal, his health had suffered and he had also lost his claim to compensation. For the defence it was denied that the inquiry was void, but, on the contrary was a proper inquiry. It was also contended that petitioner was guilty of the charges made against him, and was therefore rightfully dismissed from the service. As petitioner complained that he had not had a sufficient inquiry, the Government offered him a new inquiry which was refused. The case had not concluded when the court rose for the day.