ACCIDENT WHILE CYCLING TO WORK

Grey River Argus, 10 September 1948, Page 7

ACCIDENT WHILE CYCLING TO WORK

Qnestion Of Employer’s Liability WELLINGTON, Sept. 9. The Court of Appeal began hearing a case concerning the liability of an employer as to accident to 'an employee travelling to and from work. On November 16, 1946, the plaintiff, James Thomas Hassett, of Hastings, a carpenter, while riding a bicycle home from work" at Havelock North, was injured when a dog jumped out from the side of the road in front of him. The defendant, Peter Joseph Bridgeman, of Hastings, a contractor, had given instructions to the plaintiff to bicycle to and from work and agreed to pay travelling time. The Workers' Compensastion Amendment Act ,1943, provides that where an accident causing personal injury to a worker occurs while travelling to and from work by means of transport other than a public transport service, and the employer has provided a means of. transport lor that purpose, or has expressly or impliedly authorised its use for that purpose, the accident is deemed to arise out of and in the course of employment. The plaintiff contends that the case is within this section.

The defendant contends the employer has no power to authorise the plaintiff to use his own bicycle and the section applies only where the employer has provided means oi transport. The Court reserved its decision.