SEAMAN CLAIMS DAMAGES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 21 February 1920, Page 5

SEAMAN CLAIMS DAMAGES

(United Press Association.* WELLINGTON, Feb. 20. In the Supreme Court, before Mr justice Bim and a jury of 12, the hearing was continued of the case in which James McGregor, seaman, of Wellington, sued the New Zealand Federation of Seamen’s 4 Union, through the general secretary, W. T. Young, for £IOOO damages on the ground that through wrongful expulsion from the union he had been prevented from following his occupation. His Honour • informed the jury, that apart from the question of damages, all other issues were matters of law. Counsel had agreed to submit the question of damages to tlie‘jury and to leave the law issues to be dealt with later; in other words, the jury would, for the thnc being, assume that there had been wrongful dismissal, and, upon that assumption, would assess; the damages. Whether there had been wrongful dismissal was a matter of law, and would be decided as such. His Honour said he did not think the jury would he entitled to award plaintiff, assuming for the time being that the law points were decided in his favour, more than the ■ amount of the pecuniary loss he had suffered. The plaintiff was entitled to punitive damages, , but to reasonable compensation for the loss he had suffered up to the present and was likely to suffer before being reinstated. The jury returned a. verdict for £l5O. The questions of law were adjourned.