A COMPENSATION CASE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 242, 12 April 1912, Page 5

A COMPENSATION CASE

| £SOO DAMAGES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Judgment in a compensation case heard by the Arbitration Court, at Napier, has been filed by Mr. Justice Sim. The plaintiff was Grace Holland, widow of Sievert Holland, and the defendants were Richardson and Co. Sievert Holland, who was master of the lighter Moa, owned by Richardson and Co., was accidentally drowned at Port Ahuriri, on July 27, 1011. The lighter was lying alongside the wharf at Port Ahuriri on July 26, and it was part of deceased's duty to inspect the lighter's moorings each night. This he usually did shortly before going to bed. Plaintiff alleged that the deceased met his death while doing his duty, and that the accident arose out of his employment. Evidence showed that the deceased left the steamer .Ruru between midnight and 1 o'clock on July 27, and went along in the direction of the Moa. He had said he was going home. On July 31 his body was found within a few yards of the spot where the. Moa was lying on July 2G. Mr. Justice 'Sim said that it was admitted that the drowning was accidental, and if the facts justify such an inference the Court was entitled to conclude that the accident arose out of and in the course of deceased's employment, although no human being was present who could give direct evidence how the accident happened. Deceased intended to visit the lighter on his way home, and the Court inferred that deceased reached the scene of his duty and fell in while doing something in connection with the lighter. Judgment was given for plaintiff for ' £SOO, £2 12s costs, and disbursements and witnesses' expenses, the widow to get £IOO for her own use, and the balance to be paid into the Court and await a further order of the Court.