Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: September 21st, 1918.

The very serious result of an accident at Messrs Kent's Biscot Road works last year was described when the firm were respondents in a compensation action brought by Susan H. Webb, a girl living at 116 Hartington Road, Bedford, before his Honour Judge Scully and Dr Elam, medical referee, at Luton County Court on Thursday.

Mr J. F. Lever, counsel for the girl, said the accident occurred on July 6th, 1917, when the girl was feeding an automatic machine. Her cap was caught by the cogs and her hair and head were drawn into the machine. She suffered a severe scalp injury.

There was no dispute as to the facts of the accident, and the only question was the degree of the capacity to work. She was in the Bute Hospital for six weeks, and part of the skin of her leg had to be grafted on to her head, which was largely denuded of skin. The result was that she was a nervous wreck and was at present practically incapable of doing work at all.

There was a difference of opinion as to the average wages, and after counsel had conferred they agreed upon the sum of £117 6s.

Mr Lever added that the firm paid the girl 25 shillings a week until April 12th last, and a claim was now from that date. Respondents offered the girl light work at 33s 9d per week, and half the difference between that rate and the amount she earned before the accident.

Unfortunately, the girl had to go into a room next to that in which she met with the accident. It had such a bad effect on her nerve that it was impossible for her to work there. No doubt the journey from Bedford added to her condition.

Then she was offered work in the canteen, but that was overrun by large numbers of girls, and the plaintiff sis not take the position, knowing what it would mean. She was refused work at another factory and, on the doctor's advice, she got work at a nursery as a fruit picker. She was never able to earn more than 8s 9d a week, and in the last of the six weeks she was there she earned 1s 2d.

For the respondents, Dr Lloyd of Luton described the tests to which he had put the girl. He found no organic disease, and he was of the opinion that the girl exaggerated quite unintentionally her feelings. However, he agreed that if the girl's story was true she could not do work on the land.

Mr Lever admitted that Mrs Leigh Kent had tried to do her best for the girl, but suggested she was in the difficult position of having the insurance company wanting the girl to work. The Judge, in giving his judgment, said that Dr Elam agreed with him that the girl was not capable of doing any substantial work. The onus was on the respondents to show not only that she was capable, but that there was a particular class of work open to such persons which they could obtain and carry out.

He awarded the girl £1 8s 6d a week compensation with costs.

• At a meeting of the Luton Borough Tribunal held at the Town Hall on Wednesday, the Chairman (Alderman J. H. Staddon) said he want to ask National Service Representative Mr H. Gardner to make representations to the Volunteer authorities respecting the hours the men were called upon to make on Sundays. Very serious complaints were being made as to the time the men had to keep, and lately they had been going home at half-past one and two o'clock. If men of the new military age were going to be treated like that, the Tribunal would refuse to put them in the Volunteer Force and would withdraw the condition in regard to men already in. Said Alderman Staddon: “It is all very well for some of our friends on horseback, but these men are marched from half-past nine and landed back at the Volunteer Club at half-past one and have to crawl home to get their dinner at two o'clock. It is not essential and not necessary.”

• Last week we announced that Mr William J. Mair JP had sent in his resignation to the Appeals Tribunal, but that consideration had been deferred with a view to steps being taken to ascertain if arrangements could not be made to enable him to attend in the Luton district at any rate. We now understand that Mr Mair finds it impossible to continue, and his resignation becomes operative forthwith. The news will be received with great regret, for Mr Mair is an asset to the Tribunal. No member has been more persistent in protecting the applicants from possible injustice individually, or watching industries generally. The Luton Trades and Labour Council will certainly nominate a successor, for Labour has an undoubted right to the seat.

• Whilst working on a printing machine at Messrs Clay's factory on Monday, Grace Souster, of Round Green, was badly injured by her hand getting caught. She was taken to the Bute Hospital, where fingers had to be amputated.

• On the same day, Sydney Hall, aged 24, of Kensworth, was working a circular saw at the Diamond Foundry in Dallow Road when it caught two fingers of his left hand and nearly severed them. First aid was given, and he was taken to the Bute Hospital, where the injured fingers were taken off.

• At dinner time on Wednesday, William Fisher, aged 24, of 8 Park Place, met with a bad accident at Messrs Fricker's metal works. He was attending to one of the furnaces when the liquid metal blew out. He was very severely burned on the legs, right arm and other parts of the body. First aid was quickly given, and he is now progressing at the Bute Hospital.

• A very enjoyable and interesting event took place at the Baths on Tuesday evening, when Hayward Tyler's held their second annual swimming gala. The President (Mr G. M. Gibbins) stated that club membership was 148 with an average attendance on club nights of 48. Several of their best swimmers were now serving with the colours, one of whom, H. Bailey, won a silver cup at a military swimming gala in the high diving competition. The prizes were presented by Mr Gibbins.

• On the Town ground today there was a moderate attendance for the Luton Town match with the soldiers of the Signal School (Dunstable). The soldiers notched the only score of the first half, but a trio of second half goals gave Luton the victory by 3-1. Bob Hawkes, Sid Hoar and Darby were the Town scorers. The visitors ended the match with ten men after Cpl Griffin, who met with an injury early in the game, finally had to limp off.