PARENTS' CLAIM

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 151, 26 June 1912, Page 2

PARENTS' CLAIM

COMPENSATION FOR SON'S DEATH A compensation claim, in which the parents of a young man sought* a sura of money in respect of the latter's death, came before the Court of Arbitration yesterday afternoon. The partieß were Anton Nichalick, labourer, of Raetihi, and Mary Nichalick, his wife, plaintiffs, and John James White and Robert Dickson, sawmillers, carrying on business in Raetihi under the style of Jensen and Co., defendants. Mr. P. J. o 'Regan appeared for plaintiffs and Mr. A. A. S. Menteath for defendants. The facts were that plaintiffs were the parent* of Leonard Nichalick, who was employed by the defendants, and who waß killed on 24th January last, as result of injuries received at the defendants' mill. Plaintiffs alleged that they, with four younger children, were dependent for support on the earnings of deceased, who, during the preceding twelve months, had paid them benefits to the value of £96. They; claimed £288, being three times the vafue of the benefits received. , Liability was admitted by defendants for payment of compensation,' but they disputed the amount. Mr. Menteath said that £156 had been paid into Court. It was not probable, he argued, that deceased, a young man not twenty years of age, could have paid anything like the sum of £96 in the year, especially when his brother, who was doing the same work, and was older, paid only £30. The Court expressed itself quite satisfied that deceased had made substantial contributions towards the maintenance of his parents. The evidence as to amount, as in most such cases, was most unsatisfactory, but the contribution must have averaged at least £6 per month during the past year. This sum would be taken as a basis for compensation, and judgment was given for £216, with costs.