CHILD'S LIFE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 134, 9 June 1938, Page 9

CHILD'S LIFE.

VALUATION PROBLEM.! ' JURY AWARDED £1000. j << EXCESSIVE," SATS JUDGE.' - * ! (Special.—By Air Mail.) j LONDON. May 11. j Talking points from a King's Bench Division accident case in which a jury! awarded £1000 damages for a child's! lost expectation of lrfe: — What is your valuation of a child's life? Can a parent assess the liard-casli value of his or her child's life? What should be the basis of the valuation ? Mr. Justice Charles, the judge hearing the case, said the £1000 damages for a three-year-old girl's "expectation of life*' was "very excessive." "I would have assessed the damages at £150," he said. "It is a problem which it is impossible accurately t<j determine. One judge may give a £.1 note. Another may give £1000. There is no guide." Said the father of the child, Mr. Victoi Bailey, of Oldlield Lane, <ireenford. t' a reporter: — ."Had I been on the jury I coufcs* I would not have known what dauiageto give. It-is a most dillicult thing t« assess." ' Two years ago his three-year-old 'daughter Hazel was playing i« a ! JL * r " 'ambulator in the garden of their .lou-e jat (ireenford with her sister Nmina. }t hell aged two. i Car Hit Pram. A learner's car crashed through the railings, overturned the perambulator „„d threw the children out. Norma was found beneath (he car. She reco cred from her injuries. Hazel died | next day.

Her father was claiming damages on behalf of tlie child's estate from Mr.! Arthur .lolui Howard, of Brownlow Road, s New Soutligate, who admitted ncgli-! j gence. j I "A child of three may die when it is j | four." said Mr. .Justice Charles ;u his j summing-up. '"It may live iniiil it isj 70. Von must make a |>ure gues* at ! 'what the expectation of life is. How | was the child going to grow up. Cud . 'alone knows." j In addition to the £1000 regarding, | Hazel's '"expectation of life" the jury] awarded £350 011 Mr. Bailey's claim i ! respecting Xonna—a fair-haired blue-: (eyed child on whom the accident ha<j j loft its mark. Sometimes, apparently I without cause, she will suddenly ex;iclaim: '"There is a car coniinir into • garden." ij Can Yon Decide? j In entering judgment for Mr. Baih-y ijthe judge said he would grant 1 stay |of execution. He added: "I'ossib!-.- i: jwill bring matters to a head. !t haigot to come to a head some time." ' fan you decide any of tin* talk inl--j point* ? The uncertainty of '"expectation !life," for instance. A recent "Daily l\\pre--" .irti-li- «, i sltlic subject stated: — n '"To find on: add up T lie «>i yom o; four grandparent s rnd .livid-- by ton:.. -iTlie answer is 11f a ppro\nn.i'c! length j !of your life." ° One of lla/x-l Baileys pal -ma I grand 1 parents lived th- otiier is su.lj ""lalivc. H«*r ? 11 4 * t i 1 • I p.ir.-'nis ff 1 * "'7". Said .Mr. Bailey: 'Hazel had .s-chance of living to that age. Mie -lao Jevcrv chalice of going to a ur».«l - 1 -i 'with a good career to follow. 1 tit her hand, a- t lie -aid. inj*. jliavc lived only another -1 ! '

Hoadieea's Imsliiinil m.i- I'ui-nta^u-.j ' ! Kinpr of tl'< - l;, eni. •' people loeeilpvinjr tl><" now fomiini: the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. A I mail of preat wealth. In- died about fWi leaving hi o - property to the Hoinaii r ' F.mperor. jointly with hi> daughters. ;i }-i v doiiif-' hoped to preserve his - kingdom"and family from molestation, e [The Koinaiis. however, regarded the j | whole of the property as their spoiL i