FIXTURES MADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 69, 22 March 1934, Page 8

FIXTURES MADE.

COMPENSATION CLAIMS

COURT OF ADMINISTRATION. COUNSEL AMD HOLIDAYS. Intervention of Easter and the legal vacation added eomewliat to the difficulties of the Court of Arbitration this morning in arranging fixtures for the 22 compensation eases which have been set down for hearing at the Auckland ■session, which is the first the Court has held here for six months. His Honor, llr. Jus-ticc I'"razor, presided, and associated with him as assessors were Messrs. W. C. Prime (employers) and A. L. Monteith (workers). Following the Auckland sittings, the Court will hear cases at Hamilton (April 24), llotorua (April 30), Gisborne (May 3), and Napier (May 7). The industrial matters lifted for consideration and for which fixtures were made arc of a minor character. In accordance with the recommendation of the Conciliation Council live awards were made to-day. "You have chosen a bad day for the hearing—Friday the 13th," commented his Honor when Mr. P.. J. O'Regan indicated his willingness to proceed with one of his compensation cases on that date. Mr. O'Kegan: I'm afraid that cannot be helped. In endeavouring to meet the wishes of counsel in the fixing of the dates to coincide with the termination of the legal vacation, his Honor, in one case, suggested the day following resumption. Counsel smilingly demurred, and this drew from Mr. Justice Frazer the goodhumoured rejoinder: "I am only giving you pride of place —a kindly thought on my part. I'm afraid that if everyone wants distant fixtures we will never get ahead with the work."

In another case counsel seeking a late date inquired whether the Court would be sitting on April 20. "Yes," replied his Honor, "but not here." Trip to Sydney. Another application was in contrast. It was for a fixture before Easter as a client had made arrangements to take a trip to Sydney "They tell me that one reason for his going to Sydney is that ho has just won a sweepstake of £10,000," said counsel. His Honor: The reason for his going to Sydney does not matter, as long as it is not illegal. We should meet the wishes of a witness if he is anxious to get away. Speaking in a general way later, his Honor said the Court would like to meet the wishes of counsel as far no possible in the arrangement cf fixtures, but the Court had many appointments to keep and in some cases counsel wouid have to make other arrangements. "Oh, well, you have Sunday to get over that," said his Honor to another advocate, who pointed out that the fixture arranged for the cose he was interested in was the day after the vacation ended. The Court devoted three days before Easter to the hearing of eight claims for compensation against the Waihi Gold Mining Company,' Mr. O'Regan stating that he was anxious to return to Wellington before the holidays started. (Proceeding.)