THE BRUNNER DISASTER.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 276, 19 April 1898, Page 2

THE BRUNNER DISASTER.

(B 1 TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT). Wellington, Last Night. The Chief Justice delivered judgement to-day in the actions brought by the relatives of miners killed at the Brunner disaster against the Greymouth Point Elizabeth Coal Company, the trial of which has been going at intervals for over a year. He said he had been unable after consideration of all the facts to conclude that the defendants had established satisfactory evidence as to what was the cause of the accident and that it had not been caused by the neglect of the defendants or of persons in their employment in the course of sucli employment. Had there been no such provision as that contained in the 52nd section of the Coal Mines Act (providing that any accident in a mine be prima facie evidence of negligence on the part of the owner) he would have concluded that the plaintiffs had not satisfactorily proved that the accident was through the negligence tor which defendants were responsible. That being the case, however, he concluded that defendants were liable to pay compensation in the amounts assessed as follows : Allen, £6OO ; Anderson, £SO ; Baxter, £SOO ; Brisbane, £350 ; Duncan, £BSO ; James, £925 ; McDonnel 1 , £SOO ; Kent, £6OO ; McLuskie, £250 ; Moore, No. 1, £750 ; Moore, No. 2, £l5O ; Williams, £750; Little, £650 ; Mclvor, No. 4, £IOO ; Geoghin, £250. Total, £7275 In Langdon's case judgment was given for defendants, and in Mclvor and Geoghin's case certain claims were disallowed. Costs amounting to £4BO were allowed.