ARBITRATION COURT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20039, 24 March 1914, Page 3

ARBITRATION COURT.

WANGANUI SITTINGS

• The Wanganui sittings of the Arbitration Court opened yesterday morning, when His Honor Mr- Justice Stringer took his seat on the bench for the first time in Wanganui. The first business was that of cases under the. Workers' Compensation Act. ABBOT v. HATRICK & CO., LTD. Mr. Mackay, on behalf of the claimant, mentioned that this case had been settled, and it was accordingly struck out. CARLETON v. HAGUE. This was a case in which Mrs. Qarleton sued F. Hague for compensation for the death of her husband, who was employed by the defendant as a driver of a wool-waggon, and was killed at Utiku on January 13For the defence it was alleged that there was no proof that the deceased was the husband of the claimant, and that in any. case she was not dependent on him for support. Mr. Mackay appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Collins for the defendant. It appeared from evidence that Carleton left his wife in Canterbury 17 years ago, and came to the Rangitikei district to live. He sent his wife money for a few months and then ceased doing so- She never heard anything of .him till his death, although she endeavoured to trace him. She had in the meantime supported herself and brought up the family, but at present, owing to illhealth, she .is unable to work.

Lengthy evidence as to identity was given by those who knew a "T. Carleton" in Canterbury and those who knew a man of the same name in the Rangitikei. At the close of the evidence the Court declared themselves satisfied that a prima facie case of identity had been made out.

Argument then proceeded aa to whether the plaintiff was a "total" or "partial" d'-.pendeint. wifcuin the definition givsn by the Act of 1"11. which rules all wives legally "dependents" of thair husbands. At the conclusion .iud-^nont w.-is "esfiivod.