CONFLICT OF EVIDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 114, 10 November 1933, Page 3

CONFLICT OF EVIDENCE

CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION

There was a conflict of medical evidence during the hearing of a compensation case in the Arbitration Court yesteiday. The case was one in which Thomas Lawson, watersider, 'claimed compensation from the Wellington Harbour Board, and the point at issue was whether the phintiif was suffering from* the result of an accident or from a disease. The statement of claim set out that on March 1, 1933, the plaintiff, while in the employ of the \yellinp;toii Harbour Board, suffered an injury to his back While assisting to discharge a launch from the dredge Whakariri. As a vesult of the accident he became immediately, and had since remained, totally disabled from working. It was also claimed that the plaintiff's injuries were serious and likely to result in a permanent reduction of his capacity to earn. He had been paid up to September 22 compensation at the rate of £2 17s sd,per week. He therefore claimed a weekly payment of £2 17s od as from the date of the last payment to the Court proceedings, such further compensation by way of a lump sum as might be shown to be reasonable^ £1 medical expenses, the costs of the proceedings, and any ', .rther relief as might in the circumstances be just. The defence was a denial of liability on the grounds that the plaintiff-had recovered from the effects of his injuries before the action was commenced, and that the complaint from-whichjie was now suffering was .locomotor ataxia, a disease ot fcllfi Ddclc • After a retirement,' Mr. Justice Frazer said that the Court had decided to appoint a medical referee.