INJURY ALLEGED SELF-INFLICTED

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29004, 18 September 1959, Page 14

INJURY ALLEGED SELF-INFLICTED

Crown Defence Fails In Miner’s Claim “This matter is being defended because the Crown considers the injury was deliberately selfinflicted,” said Mr D. J. Tucker in the Compensation Court at Greymouth when appearing for the Mines Department in a claim made against it for injuries. A claim for £5BO in a lump sum for the loss of a finger in an accident in the Wallsend State Mine on January 21 last year was made by John Menzies, a Wallsend miner. In giving judgment for the plaintiff for the full amount, with costs and witnesses’ expenses and allowances, Judge Dalglish said he had been impressed with the apparent honesty of Menzies in giving his evidence. Mr Tucker said that amputations among the 126 workers at the Wallsend mine were 29 times as ■ high as the national average from 1954 to 1959. There had been seven cases of finger amputations there, against five among the other 3069 mine workers in the rest of New Zealand. Axe Struck Roof

It was stated that on January 21, 1958, Menzies, employed as a floatftig miner on the coal on that day, was sent away by his mate to get a prop. It was claimed that when preparing the prop his axe struck the low roof, and Menzies was thrown forward off balance. His left hand was thrown forward to save himself and the axe in his right hand came down to sever the index finger on the left hand. In addition to that of Menzies, evidence was given by a workmate. B. S. Williams, and Dr. B. M. Dallas, who said that 'there was nothing to suggest that the injury was due to anything other than an accident. Same History in Cases

Mr Tucker told the Court that all the cases at Wallsend appeared to have the same history, involving men in the 20-30 age group when the workmen were on their own. The damage was always by way of a clean cut across one finger, completely severing it, and it was significant that no damage occurred to adjacent fingers on the hand. Counsel added that conditions in the Wallsend mine were much the same as at other district mines, yet the absence of accidents in those mines had given rise to doubts as to the genuineness of the accidents which were occurring at Wallsend. Uniform For Taximen Drivers of the Auckland Cooperative Taxi Society's fleet of 455 cabs are to wear a standard dress. They will have grey shirts and a dark blue tie. A grey dustcoat may also be worn if the drivers wish. Orders have been placed with a city firm for the supply of the shirts and ties. The secretary of the society (Mr A. Sinclair) said last night that the standard dress, which did not include a cap, would be compulsory for all drivers in the society. —(P.A.)