Invercargill News

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 40, 16 February 1901, Page 3

Invercargill News

A SAWMILL CASE

[by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Invercargill, last night. At tho Magistrate’s Court an action which had been watched with interest, has been settled. One O’Connor sued McCallum and Company, sawmillers, for £2OO damages. Plaintiff was slabby and sawdust man at the mill, and had no previous experience. The dust from the saw was removed by a dredge belt, which got choked and stopped. O’Connor went to the belt under the bench, and while pulling at it with his hand, raised his arm against the under side of the saw, which gashed it. The doctor’s evidence was that it would bo two years before he would recover the use of it, and then only partially. The hearing of the case was lengthy, and the decision was looked forward to as a test one by sawmillers, the defendants relying mainly on the fact that plaintiff could and should have gone to the other end of the belt, where there was no danger, and that no workman would think of clearing away sawdust by putting his hands in such a place. To-day it was announced that the defendants (an old and respected firm), while still denying liability, had offered the plaintiff, whoso misfortune they regretted, a sum whioh he had accepted. REMARKABLE CASE.

The Land Board heard a case yesterday wherein they called on a sottler, M. Smith, to show that fencing stakes seized by the Ranger as being cut on Crown land, without a license, were his property. Smith and two men declared on oath that the stakes were cut on Smith’s own land, adjoining the Government reserve. The Ranger based his contention on his belief that no logs had been recently drawn over Smith’s tracks, while logging signs were recent in the Government bush. Stress was laid on the fact that Smith did not offer to show where he had cut the trees. His reply was that he had not been asked, or he would have done so. He complained 'that the Ranger, Mr Campbell, had said the only glace to keep him honest was in gaol. : " Smith’s counsel said it was absurd that the Board should be prosecutor, judge, and jury, and hinted at future proceedings. The course the Board should have taken was to prosecute Smith for theft at a court of the colony. The Board went into Committee, and has now decided that Smith had not established to its satisfaction his claim to the timber seized. Presumably this places Smith in the position of enforcing his right to it in a court of law.

INVERCARGILL WANTS SOME GISBORNE WEATHER.

This district is experiencing similar weather to that which prevailed someyears ago, when there was, as now, much ice in the Southern Ocean. There is not much sunshine, and the temperature is erratic, while showers are frequent.