THE BRUNNER DISASTER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11557, 19 April 1898, Page 5

THE BRUNNER DISASTER.

THE ACTIONS POE DAMAGES. JUDGMENT FOR THE PLAINTIFFS. [Pee Press Association.! WELLINGTON, April 18. The Chief Justice to-day delivered judgment in the actions brought by the relatives of miners killed in the Brunner disaster against the Greymouth-Point Elizabeth Coal Company, the trial of which has been continued at intervals for over a year. He said that he had been unable, after consideration of all that had been brought before him, to conclude that the defendants ■ had established by satisfactory evidence what the cause of the accident was, and that it was not the neglect of the defendants or persons in their employment in the course of such employment. Had there been no such provision as that contained in the 52nd section of the Coalmines Act (providing that any accident shall be prima fade evidence of negligence on the part of the owner) he would have concluded that the plaintiffs had not satisfactorily proved that the accident was through negligence for which the defendants were responsible. He therefore concluded that the defendants were liable to pay compensation, and the amounts were assessed as follows: —Allen. .£6OO, Anderson .£SO, Baxter ,£SOO, Brislare ,£350, Duncan .£BSO, James £925, M'Donnell £SOO, Kent £6OO, M’Cluskie £250, Moore, No. 1, £750; No. 2, £150; Williams £750, Little £650, MTvor No. 4 £IOO, and Geoghan £250. In Langdon’s case, judgment was for the defendants and in MTvor and Geoghan’s case, certain claims were disallowed. Costs amounting to £4BO were allowed.