COMPENSATION CLAIM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19456, 12 October 1926, Page 13

COMPENSATION CLAIM.

BASIS OF COMPUTATION. ARBITRATION COURT RULING. [BY TKLF.GR A PH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] NEW PLYMOUTH, Monday. Reserved judgment has been delivered bv the Arbitration Court 011 a petition of R. S. Carlson against the King, a claim for a sura of £375 for compensation for injury while working on public works at Tahora. The injury resulted in loss of sight of one eye. Liability was admitted by the Crown but tho question at issuo was whether payment of compensation should run from (ho date of the accident or from tho date upon which incapacity commenced, tho loss of sight not taking place until six weeks after the injury was received. The Court found that weekly payments and liability alike commence from the date on which incapacity commenced and cave judgment for tho petitioner for the sum of £340 5s lOd, with costs £7 7s. At. tho hearing Mr. 0. H. Weston said tho Crown did not want to avoid payment of what was really due in a case of this sort. What it wanted was a ruling of the Court so that all cases could he settled on a proper basis as the Crown was having a number of such applications. In tho course of the judgment it was pointed out that in this case it made little difference which period was accepted as the basis of computation but the principle involved was important, for if incapacity had not arisen" until several months, instead of a few weeks after tbe accident, tho difference between the amounts would have been considerable.