WORKERS' INSURANCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 649, 28 October 1909, Page 7

WORKERS' INSURANCE.

ME. GUINNESS'S BILL.

EXPLAINED TO LABOUR CONGEESS.

The Hon. A. E. Guinness,. M.P., visited the Trades and'-Labour. Conference yesterday' morning for. the purpose-of explaining.his national insurance .scheme., The cluiraim's welcome, to him was heartily applauded by;tho delegates.. ; .Mr. Guinness's scheme is Intended to'-provide' .against', sickness,' accident,: and ! death.,'. Its general features are: (lj. A State sick and accident fund. '(2) Such fund to bo administered by the ■ Public,'lrustee and a special board consisting' of representatives of employers '.and workers.. (3) ; VVorker- to- be, paiu half, wages during the whole time of incapacity resulting from either illness'or accident. ■(*.)-.'Svbrker to be .covered ; for. whole 24 hours, and whether working or not. •' (5) If accident or disease causes .death,'compensation, as provided by Workers' Compensation Act for death or accident, be paidi ■: (0) Board to have discretionary power 1 to pay (instead of total amount of compensation) ah annuity of 12s. per week. to the widow and 4s. per. week for each child until attaining the age of 16 years. (7) Government medical officers to be appointed. (8) The worker to pay one-fourth of tho premiums and the employers three-fourths. (9) Tho Workers' Compensation Act-to be repealed.- -.' •-'■■-.• < In explaining, the'; scheme; Mr. Guinness saidthat from, tho official returns, of tho insurance companies he had. ascertained that tho three offices (including" the State ] office): which.did most business 'iu employers' liability 1 received' during the. year* 191) li and .1307- the sum of ".£280,000 in premiums, and paid out <£1K),000, making a profit of X 122.000- which, thoughpaid by; tho employers, was ultimatelydrawn lrom the workers. Ho wished to save as;much 0,3 possible of this s'u\« for the workers. \Ru scheme would also save a great (Jeal of litigation. The cost of tho dividepds paid by the companies to'.shareholders, fees; to' directors! and commission:to canvassing agents.would oil be saved, because the State would be the only party in the business, and the companies would be wiped out. The contributions would he smaller and the benefits greater than under tho- present system, but tho fund'would be sound. The workers would pay 3d. n week each. The Govprnment had announced that the clause of the Workers', Compensation Act providing for coin p'pnsation to workers disabled by pneumoconiosis would be-repealed. That would ho n disappointment, but his scheme would provide for, the workers, in that respect. -.; -a ■■ ...'-..:;,' :<' ;-.. : . : .-.-' -~: .-, '..- .--■', .The conference thanked Mr. Guinness for his address, and decided .to, discuss: the scheme this morning^/■;'';^;;'. : i -:.'-. ';■