TUNNEL CONTRACT

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 120, 23 May 1931, Page 7

TUNNEL CONTRACT

COMPENSATION CLAIMS

SETTLED BY COURT

A number of compensation claims arising out of injuries received by men I employed on the Mount Victoria tunnel ' contract was disposed of in tho Arbitration Court yesterday. In a majority of the cases the Wellington City Corporation and the liquidator of the Hansford and Mills Construction Co., Ltd., consented to judgment. Judgment was consented to in each of the following cases, in which, the plaintiffs were represented by Mr. J. D. Willis: —Patrick. William Cooko, labourer, £25 4s lOd and costs; Leslie Baldwin, labourer, £11 6s 9d and costs; Hollis William Joseph Rose, &i± 14s 4d and costs; Robert James Porter, labourer, £70 Is and costs; Raymond Connelly, engineer, £285 IDs Id and costs. Mr. G. Toogood appeared for Stanley John Baillic, for whom judgment was given by consent against Hansford and Mills for £63 9s (3d and costs. Baillie .was injured while .working in the company's steelyards. Douglas George Beck, carpenter (Mr. G. W. Nielsen) was given judgment by consent against the City Corporation and Hansford and Mills "for £20 lls 6d as compensation for injuries caused by a fall of earth in the tunnel.. ■ •■ The claim-of Hugo Henry Wolf, carpenter, for compensation following injuries caused by a fall was contested, and evidence was called. The Court gave judgment for the plaintiff against the City Corporation and Hansford and Mills for compensation payments at the rate of £4 a. week from 31st October, 1930, to 15th May last, less £68 already paid, plus costs and witnesses' expenses totalling £13 2s. Mr. Nielsen appeared for Wolf. An unusual case was that in which the Public Trustee was the plaintiff as tho' statutory committee of a mental patient who was formerly a carpenter on the tunnel job. The facts wero that the man had the second finger of his'right hand injured, and after some mouths of treatment had it amputated. Shortly afterwards he was committed to Porirua as a result, it was, claimed, of the strain he had undergone. Dr. J. Macky, of tho Mental Hospital staff, stated in evidence that tho man was expected to be normal • again in a few months. The Court gave judgment for the plaintiff against the City Corporation and Hansford ' and Mills for weekly payments, of £4 from 28th October, 1930, to the date of the hearing, less £64 already paid, with future payments at the same rate until the order was reviewed by the Court. The plaintiff, for whom Mr. Nielsen appeared, was awarded costs. In each of the above cases the South British Insurance Company, Ltd., consented to judgment, but only as to amount. Mr. J. O'Shea (City Solicitor) appeared for the City Corporation, Mr W. Perry for tho liquidator ot Hansford and Mills, and Mr. C. G. White for tho South British Insurance Company.