HIT TWICE BY FUNNEL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 608, 9 March 1929, Page 13

HIT TWICE BY FUNNEL

ACCIDENT ON RIVER STEAMER LABOURER CLAIMS £I,OOO (From Our Own Correspondent) HAMILTON, To-day. Following an accident on the river steamer Kawhiti on June 29, when the funnel fell and injured a young labourer, Francis Leslie Joyce, a claim lor A 1,006 6s damages was brought by Joyce against the owners of the vessel, the Roose Shipping Company, Limited, in the Supreme Court yesterday. Mr. Justice Blair presided. Mr. W. P. Gray appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. J. F. Strang for defendant. In his statement of claim plaintiff set out that the funnel fell and hit him and pinned him to the deck. Immediately afterwards when the funnel was being raised by means of a rope attached to a winch the rope broke and the funnel fell a second time and again struck him while he was lying injured on the deck.

Plaintiff received injuries to his spine, a fracture of the pelvis and bruises to his back. He said he had been permanently injured and was now unable to follow his ordinary occupation. He alleged that the two accidents were due to the negligence of the defendant company or its servants, and he claimed £77 7s special damages and £928 19s general damages. Counsel stated that the defendant company admitted liabiltiy for the ipecial damages, and said the only question for the Court to decide was the amount of general damages that should be paid. His Honour gave .judgment for plaintiff for £470, assessed on the basis of £7O for expense incurred, £SO for pain suffered, £IOO loss of wages in the immediate future, and £250 to compensate him for his 10 per cent, disability.