Compensation Inquiry

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31094, 24 June 1966, Page 3

Compensation Inquiry

WELLINGTON,

June 23.

The Minister of Labour, (Mr Shand) in Parliament today confirmed a Government decision to set up a Royal commission to consider all aspects of workers compensation.

Mr P. B. MacDonell (Opp., Dunedin Central) had asked Mr Shand to comment on a recent statement by the Workers’ Compensation Board chairman (Mr H. L. Bockett) that New Zealand had slipped behind other countries in workers’ compensation. If this was true, said Mr MacDonell, did the Government plan to introduce legislation this session to improve the situation. Mr Shand said the New Zealand basis of workers’ compensation payments for temporary incapacity compared favourably with that of other countries because weekly payments generally were more liberal. This was particularly so when dependants’ allowances were included. Compensation for serious injuries resulting in death or permanent incapacity was paid in the form of permanent pensions for the whole period of widowhood or disability. In New Zealand, payments were in a lump sum calculated on the basis of maximum weekly payments over a period of six years. Mr Shand said it must be recognised also that in New Zealand, widows would generally qualify for widows’ benefits in addition to workers’ compensation. “The Government recog-

nises the need for reviewing the present workers’ compensation legislation in the light of overseas developments in this field,” he said. Long-Life Milk The production of long-life milk in New Zealand—as in Britain—would be uneconomical, said the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys). The possibility of producing long-life milk had been investigated, but because of higher production costs it would be inevitable that the price to the consumer would rise and the Government subsidy would have to be increased. Decimal Textbooks Textbooks dealing with the decimal currency system

would be Introduced in schools six months before the change-over, said the Minister of Education (Mr Kinsella). There would be one teachers’ book and three pupils’ books.

Savings The small excess of withdrawals over deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank for the year ended March 31 was attributable to the extension of the operations of trustee savings banks and the establishment of private savings banks, said the Minister of Finance (Mr Lake). Total small savings with interest for the period were £61.746 million, which was very close to the record for the 1965 year.