WATERSIDE ACCIDENT

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1928, Page 10

WATERSIDE ACCIDENT

CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION A request that a Magistrate or some other competent person should bo appointed to hear his claim for compensation was made in a petition presented to Parliament yesterday by Eobert John Clarke, of Wellington. Th© petitioner stated that for a period of nine years prior to the month of July, 1926, lie was employed by the Wellington Harbour Board. .On 24th July, while engaged in the services of the board, the petitioner fell and injured his right knee and shoulder. He was admitted to the hospital where he remained until 28th January, 1927. Notice of the accident was given to the board, but owing to some misunderstanding the notice was not forwarded to the board's indemnifiers, the State Fire and Accident Insurance Office. The petitioner was discharged from hospital at tho end of January, although still required to attend as an outpatient. Bepresontations were made to the State Fire and Accident Office, but the petitioner was informed that his claim could hot be admitted as tho action had not been brought within a period of six months following the date of the accident. Proceedings were instituted against the Wellington Harbour Board, and judgment was given for tho defendant board by the Arbitration Court on the technical ground that; the action had not been commenced within the stipulated period. The petitioner stated that ho was unable to do any work, and was able to earn only a few slri'ings weekly by selling newspapers at the street corner. It was pointed out that in 1927 a Committee of the House recommended that a Magistrate should be appointed to hear the claim, but this recommendation had not been given effect to.