INJURED IN A FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20982, 19 September 1931, Page 9

INJURED IN A FIRE.

EMPLOYEES COMPENSATED. AN IMPORTANT JUDGMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Friday. An important judgment and one which will have far-reaching results was delivered by the Arbitration Court to-day. Three employees of the licensee of the Panama Hotel wero injured as they were escaping from the building when it was on fire. They made claims for compensation under the Workers' Compensation Act. Plaintiffs were George Michael Skone, Margaret Park and Ruth Jones, and defendant was Mary Catherine Hyde, widow, as administratrix of the estate of the late Henry 13. Hyde. In delivering judgment Mr. Justice Frazer said there was no dispute regarding the facts. The only question for the Court was that of the liability of defendant to pay compensation. The accident admittedly arose in the course of plaintiffs' employment, • but it was disputed it arose out of their employment.' Counsel for defendant had argued, said Iliis Honor, that although the accident resulted from the fire it did not arise out of plaintiffs' employment. His Honor said it was impossible to distinguish a case of personal injury caused by such a fire as had occurred in this case to a worker whose duty necessitated his- being in a burning' building from a "location risk." Judgment was given for the plaintiffs for compensation for the periods during which their injury lasted, with costs.