INTERESTING COMPENSATION CASE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 147, 18 December 1907, Page 2

INTERESTING COMPENSATION CASE.

fßr Telegram: — Special to The Post.] CHRIRTCHURCn, This Day. A case of some interest was before tho Arbitration Court yesterday. Rachel Vickery (Mr. Alpers) claimed £400 compensation from J. D. Hall (Mr. Russell) in respect of the death of her husband, who had died while in defendant's employ. Vickery, a man aged 4§ years, had been employed by defendant as groom* A part of his duties had been to supply water to some brood marcs. In March last he had been suffering from the effects of influenza, and" had been subject to fits of giddiness on' stooping. His absence had been noted at lunch time on 28th March, and on the following morning his dead body had been found in a sunken trough used to supply the brood mares. It was supposed that he had fainted whilo at the trough, and had been suffoqatcd. Plaintiff claimed that deceased had met his death while in the course of his work, and that compensation should be payable by his employer. The medical evidence showed that tho man had been suffering from meningitis, and it ' was admitted that his death had really been duo to the nian'ij physical condition, which had made him unfit for' his usual work. An attempt was mado by the defence to establish a theory of suicide. The court reserved judgment.