HEAVY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1930, Page 7

HEAVY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES

COMMENT BY THE JUDGE WELLINGTON JURY’S AWARD. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. “In all my experience I have never seen so large a sum claimed for an injury; the amount seems to me to be altogether unreasonable,” Mr. Justice Ostler remarked to the jury in the Supreme Court to-day just before ‘it retired to consider a claim for £274 8s 6d special damages and £2500 general damages made by Ernest Drew, a packer of Wellington, against Godfrey Power Clapcott, insurance inspector of Masterton. The case arose out of a collision on the o’l Porirua Road near Kar warra on Christmas Eve. The jury returned a unanimous verdict awarding the plaintiff £263 18s 6d special damages and £l5O general damages. Plaintiff alleged that while he was riding a motor-cycle the defendant by driving his car negligently and. carelessly, collided with him, severely injuring him and damaging the’motor-cycle. Defendant denied that he had been negligent in any way and he urged that the sole cause of the accident was the negligence of defendant and his excessive speed. His Honour reserved decision on a motion for a new trial and on a question of non-suit.