A BEWILDERED JURY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14015, 24 June 1913, Page 7

A BEWILDERED JURY.

AND ITS VERDICT. At Now Plymouth Court John Lcydqn uuul tho Cron*i for damages, his claim arsing out of an accident at the St ratio id railway station, where tho plaintiff bad turnbli-d over n tarpaulin lying on the platform. After hearing the evidence and counsel’s addresses, his Honor put the following four questions to the jury: -0) W ere the officers of tho Railway Department guilt) of negligence in leaving the tarpaulins where they were ilaced; (2) if there was such negligence, was the accident occasioned thereby; (3) could the plaintiff hy the exercise of that prudence and care ordinarily exercised bv prudent and careful persons in such circumstances have avoided the accident ; (4) what damages, if any, should Ik* allotted? Alter a three-and-a-half-hour retirement (the News reports) the jury were unable to agree, and his Honor said he would lake a three-fourths verdict. Hie jury then announced that they had arrived at a decision. They answered, ill thni' questions in the affirmative, and assessed damages at £IOO. Mr Ostler; That is a verdict for the defendant. His Honor: That is so.

His Honor put a question to Air Me- ) eo'ih. who replied. “What surprises me is that after finding such a verdict they should have proceeded to assess damiges.”

Mr Ostler stated that as the matter uad been a most unfortunate one for Ur Leydon. he would not ask fo# costs.