A CLAIM FAILS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3888, 18 September 1928, Page 15

A CLAIM FAILS.

INSURANCE COMPANY SUED. JUDGE’S SEVERE STRICTURES, q’l _ GREy MOUTH’ September 13. 1 he Supreme Court was yesterday occupyll i U U a ln o a , case in which Mary Elizabeth Agatha Pugh, the widow of Amos Henry Pugh, sawmiller, who was accidentally killed on October 19 last claimed £lOOO from the Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation as being due under the life assurance policj’ of her husband. Tile plaintiff’s case was that Purti entrusted matters in connection with ins life assurance to Rundle and Company the company s agents, and that his account was sufficiently, in credit to have allowed payment- from it of the annual premium amounting to £l5 10s. The defence maintained that the premium had not been paid, and that the Policy had lapsed. It was stated that Bundle and Company had neglected their assurance business and had failed to make the required monthly returns to the corporation. This morning Mr Justice Adams dismissed the claim on a non-suit point, declaring that the evidence given by Rundle and by Saunders (a clerk) was open to the gravest suspicion. It appeared that the premium was never paid by Pugh, and that Rundle and Company ante-dated a receipt and issued it after Pugh’s death. I acquit plaintiff and her advisers of any complicity in this gross fraud, which, it it had been successful, would • have polluted the fountain of justice,” concluded his Honor.