WRONGFUL DISMISSAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15980, 7 May 1924, Page 5

WRONGFUL DISMISSAL.

TO-DAY'S EVIDENCE.

DECISION RESERVED. Evidence was concluded this morning in the case in which B. H. Andrews is claiming damages from Turn-bull and Jones for alleged wrongful dismissal. Yesterday's proceedings are recorded on page 6. John Rutherford Ellis, engineer to the Central Power Board, said it would have been better had Turnbuil and Jones notified the Board that they intended to change the marking on the name-plate from 2 h.p. to 14 h.p.. He did not think the alteration was a serious matter. In any case he believed the Board would have agreed to it, as' there was a shortage of motors at the time, and there was really no alternative. The Board had the right at any time to measure the horse power of a motor, but generally the horse power marked on the plate was accepted. lie said he did not think that the farmers had consumed more than the H horse power, although the motor'had been 2 horse power. In reply to the Magistrate he said the average was pretty right, and he did not think that the Board had lost anything. The difference between 1J h.p. and 2 h.p. would amount to about £3 per year to the farmer. The farmer had no control over the power he used. If his plant was working satisfactorily it would require only the ii h.p. motor specified to operate it. Turnbuil and Jones had not complied with the specifications in that they marked the plates 1.6 h.p. instead of 1.5 h.p. as specified. The Magistrate reserved his decision.