COMPENSATION CLAIM

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 761, 6 September 1929, Page 16

COMPENSATION CLAIM

WIDOW SUES CONTRACTORS Medical evidence concerning the development of tetanus occupied the attention of the Arbitration Court most of yesterday afternoon, during the hearing of a compensation claim. Jessie White Hahn (Mr. Northcroft) sued the Fletcher Construction Company, Limited (Mr. West) for £I,OOO compensation for the death of her husband, Theodore Hahn, who died from tetanus, allegedly contracted through ripping his hand on a rusty nail, while demolishing old buildings in Parnell for the defendant firm. The concluding evidence for the claimant was given by F. L. Armitage, bacteriologist. He stated that tetanic infection through an old wound on deceased’s leg was possible, though extremely unlikely. He considered that infection had probably come from a recent sore. For the defence, Dr. H. L. Gould, assistant medical superintendent at the Auckland Hospital, stated that the only source of tetanic infection mentioned on deceased’s admission to hospital w r as the wound on the leg. Dr. Sevan Brown assistant pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, consid ered that it was possible for infection to have come from the old leg wound. Evidence was given by August J. Bierre, John V. McFie. Frederick Robert Smith and James W. Hall, who were engaged on the job with deceased, that no complaint had been made by Hahn of having ripped his hand on a nail. The hearing was adjourned until Monday.