CLAIM FOR £l0,000

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30154, 11 June 1963, Page 14

CLAIM FOR £l0,000

Man’s Injury At Airport (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 10 The hearing of a claim for £ 10.000 general damages brought against the AttorneyGeneral, on behalf of the Railways Department, began in the Supreme Court, Wellington, today The claimant is Edmund Hartley, aged 63, whose left arm bad to be amputated aftej it was injured by a traversor. Evidence was given that the machine was driven by a boy aged 11. The accident occurred at Rongotai Airport on January 18 1962, when Hartley was employed as a traversor operator by Straits Air Freight Express, Ltd Mr Justice Hutchison is hearing the case before a jury Hartley is represented by Messrs A T Relling and J A Doogue, and the Attorney-General by Messrs R C. Savage and D F Neazor. Hartley said in evidence that the boy had been at the terminal on occasions with a Railways Department driver, Mr A Walter On the day of the accident Hartley had loaded a traversor ready for the arrival of a Bristol Freighter He was expecting Walter to load another traversor During a lull, while Walter was in his view, this other traversor had without warning pinned his arm against a ramp Cross-examined by Mr Savage. Hartley denied he had told the boy to move the traversor Opening the defence case. Mr Neazor said the machine was owned by the Railways Department but operated by SAF E, which had a legal responsibility to Hartley. It was perhaps this company, he said, which should.have been defending the case Defence witnesses would disagree with Hartley’s evidence, Mr Neazor said The case is part heard.