ARBITRATION COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1919, Page 2

ARBITRATION COURT.

DEE" v. EABMEHff MEAT COMPANY! JUDGMENT FOR DEFENDANT. The judgment of Mr Justice Stringer has been received, in the case of Robina Jessie Spence lee (Mr H. R» Billing) v. The Taranaki Warmers' Meat Co. (Mr A. H. Johnstone, for Phoenix Insurance Company). The claim was for £5lB as compensation for the death of plaintiff's husband, a carpenter and general laborer employed, by the defendant company. After reviewing the evidence, his Honor said that the question at issue between the parties was a medical rather than a legal one, upon which, unfortunately, the court, without expert assistance, had to base its judgment. "We have, however, no hesitation in saying that in face of the very clear and corrvincing evidence of the medical witnesses for the defence it is quite in> 1 possible for us to hold that the plaintiff has discharged the owns which rested upon her of proving to our satisfaction that the death of the deceased was attributable, either directly or indirectly, to the accidental fall he susained in the freezing chamber on May 4. It is to be regretted that a postmortem examination of the body of the deceased was not held, as that would probably have revealed the cause of death; but, for this omision the defendant company is in no way to blame, as notice of intended claim was not given until long after it was possible to hold any useful examination. Judgment therefore, must be for the defendant, j We do not think it is a. case for costs."