CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17635, 27 May 1919, Page 9

CITY POLICE COURT

Monday, May 26. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, SJVt.) Drunkenness.—A first offender, who' did not appear, wag fined 20s, the amount of bail ■with tne alternative of 48 hours' Siicnt. Inhibition Order.—A prohibition order V.US granted, on tlie application of his sister against a man who did not appear ' Breaches of Factories Act.—Robert Ruthcriord was proceeded against by the inspector ol factories, Mr L. D. Browett, for failing to report to him an accident that occurred in ins factory.—Mr Lang appeared for tho defendant, and pleaded not guilty—Mr Browett saidtoe information was laid under, section 41 of the Factories Act, which requires the notification of any accident likelv to incapacitate a workman for more than 48 hoars. In this case the accident was not reported, and probably nothing would have been heard of ifc had not a question of compensation arisen and inquiries been made at the inspector's office. Mr Rutherford had admitted that accidents of this kind were not reported and apparently he set his own standard of wnat was " serious."-Eliza feinith, employed at the Now Zealand Wax Vesta Company's works, said she had met with an accident on March 13, which she reported to the forewoman. The accident was a bum in the palm of her hand. She worked on tul 4 pjn. that day, and then got leave to go home. She did not start work t f"3, ta % month ' .^ d then came back for t & t mc L u \ red abo «t compensation, -ro Mr Lang: The employees often got burns and treated them with oiL-Frede-nck Victor Sanderson (inspector of factories) gave evidence that he had inquired into the IT 0, had told witness that r?li;T'S r +^ h l Cred l bout what he ca led "trivial accidents." Miss Smith, he wid, was a casual worker, and her stayinc' away was not connected with the accident Francis, (forewoman) admitted to witness that Miss Smith reported the accident as soon as it occurred, and asked perSon £ S 0 , 1 """ 8 «"«y. that Miss Smith showed her hand to Mrs Francis a 3 later, Mr Browett said there was no ■ why compensation should not have been P™. f> **"> employees were insured Mr Rutherford had admitted liability, and was willing to pay tho three weeks'comjensa°i ? am W re I> r c S enting Mr Rutherford, I can onl T say he admits nothing of the kind. Mr Lang argued Sat *". ™W> n ?t "a serious bodily mjuVy" and .to that the wrong person had bee.f'proTe cuted, as it was the "working manner ,, who was legally m 4 trate decided that Mr Rutherford oouK held responsible, and that the facts put the onus on the employer to investigate whether the accident wa s serious or not! De7en<W to Mx Browett.-Frederick J° ttet (inspector of factories) statS^hafh T'\ found four girls cWingoS waitresses at five minutes to 11 21 thl Bodega restaurant on the ni ? ht of Awil 15 Their employer (Mr Searl) had no ™;t -Mr Browett said defendant would ha™ had no difficulty, in getting a permit had no applied for one.—A lino of 10s with ™lw costs (7s) on each information I'JS^' Alleged Attempted Suicide.-Emilo Gan Frances Fjlbert, a Belgian, w ho appeared on remand to answer a charge of attempted suicide, was further remanded for a week tor medical treatment and observation Motor Driver Charged.-Charges of" failmg to sound a warning when in charge of a motor car on April 1, and o f driving without a licence were preferred against James Gordon Dick.-Mr C. J. L WWto appeared for tho defendant, and at his request the case was adjourned till June 9 to enable witnesses in Invercargill to be communicated Wit}). Maintenance Case.—Fredrick Watkrns did not appear to answer a charge of beinoin arrears with an order for 8s a week for the support of his son, John WhittonSomor Sergeant Murrav said that tho defendant had been before the court on April 24 when the arrears were £28 Bs. and he understood £15 had since been paid in. Defendant had applied for an adjournment to enabltj. him to pay tha balance, but he had not done so.—Hα was sentenced to one month's imprisonment, with hard labour to bo released on payment of £5 arrears '