COMPENSATION CASE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20432, 1 June 1936, Page 4

COMPENSATION CASE

CLAIM DISALLOWED By Telegraph—Press Association DUNEDIN, May 30 At a sitting of the Arbitration Court yesterday, a labourer, Robert Oliver, claimed £62/13/10 compensation from the New Zealand Refrigerating Co., Ltd., for disablement from work between February 28 and March 20, 1935, and the loss of the use of two joints of his left forefinger, as a result of a cut received during the course of his employment. Mr Justice Page presided, and Mr W. J. Mead appeared for plaintiff and Mr F. M. Hanan for defendant company. In evidence plaintiff stated that after the accident he had resumed his former occupation at the same wage, but his fellow workers had complained to him that his work was not done properly. This was because his finger had stiffened and he could not grip properly. He had not received any complaint about inefficiency from the foreman butcher. At the commencement of the present season he had applied for his old position, and was Informed that he would be engaged when a vacancy arose. He had not waited for this, but had taken another position with a firm penning sheep. His wages this year were slightly more than they had been over the same period of last year, but the wages had been higher. Medical evidence was given that plaintiff's statement of the condition of the finger was a fair cne. For the defence it was claimed that the plaintiff had not suffered pecu .iary loss, and it was stated that the company had no complaints to make about his inefficiency, and was willing to engage him at his old occupation. Giving judgment for the defendant company, his Honor said that the evidence showed that there had been no loss of earning power to the present date, and he had also decided that the plaintiff was not entitled to a suspensory award, as it had not been shown that in future he might not be able to earn approximately the same wage as he had done previously.