DAMAGES AWARDED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 253, 25 October 1937, Page 8

DAMAGES AWARDED

CHILD VICTIM OF ACCIDENT [ Per Press Association. ] CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 22. “It would be unseemly for me to criticise these changes in the law—l do but explain them, and having done so I can only ask you to retire and give your best consideration to the difficulty whicn might well have confounded Solomon himself.” That was the final word of the summing up by Mr Justice Northcroft this morning in a case which in his words “places a milestone in the progression of law.” The jury was asked to place money value as damages on the "expectation of the life’ oi a child aged 3 years 7 months, and the Judge said that it was the first time, either here or in England ho thought, that a juryhad been set that formidable problem.

The action was brought, under the Law Reform Act, 1936, and a claim for 12500 was made by Owen Edward Wilson, of Guruhia, as administrator of the estate of his infant son, from George Holmes, ot Ashburton. The child died following a motor collision, one vehicle being driven by an agent or employee of Holmes. The jury brought in a verdict for £l5OO.

The Judge accepted a motion for judgment but on the request of counsel for defendant stood down further consideration of the case for 14 days.