JURY FIXES DAMAGES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 192, 14 August 1931, Page 4

JURY FIXES DAMAGES.

Widow Awarded £I2OO in Accident Case. (Special to the “ Star.”) AUCKLAND, August 14. Damages amounting to £I2OO were awarded by a jury in the Supreme Court to a young Kaitaia widow, Mary Agnes Strack (Mr Beckerleg), who brought a claim for £3500 against a Maungatapere farmer, Richard Wallace (Mr Meredith and Mr Trimmer), on account of the death of her husband, Fritz A. Strack, a school teacher, from injuries received in a motor-cycle collision with the defendant near Maungatapere on December 16 last. The case was heard before Mr Justice Smith and occupied two days. His in summing up, said Strack had been a sole teacher with a salary of £320 and a £SO house allowance, and had been employed by the Education Department for 14 years. It was to be taken into account that the plaintiff had received £I3OO as her share in her husband’s estate. The jury should decide upon the amount of damages to which the plaintiff was entitled and deduct £I3OO.

When the jury returned the foreman said it had awarded £2500 damages on the understanding that the amount was reduced by £I3OO. His Honor said the jury must deduct that amount, and he had given them definite instructions.

It was then agreed by the jury that their verdict should be for £I2OO.