MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2632, 30 November 1915, Page 8

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

VISIT' TO WESTLAND. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Hokitlka, November 29. ; The Hon. W. D. S. Macdonald, Minister of Agriculture, has _ been on a visit to Westland. -He visited South W'estland yesterday, and in the evening attended a recruiting rally at Ross. To-day he inspected the Golden Plat claim at Kaueri, and in the eveiiing\ received a number of deputations, at the County Chambers, and subsequently he attended the farewell social to Lieut. Seddon, and gave a, short address. The function was largely attended, representative men '. from all parts of tne district, being:' present. Lieut. Seddon was presented with an address, and a substantial cheque from the people of the district. The Right Hon. the Prime Minister, in reply to a matter placed before him bj- the Canterbury General Labourers' Lnion, has (Bays an exchange) written: '.'Regarding the interpretation which has been : placed by the Government. Life lusuranco Department on Soction 12 of the -Workers' A.ct> 1913, I have now received advice from the Commissioner of that' Department, as follows:—'I have given'this matter very careful' consideration, and have decided to modify our. present practice to the following extent: The legal and medical certificates will, .for the future, be dispensed with altogether in respect of those cases which clearly come within the second schedule to the Act. In the caso of othef lump-sum settlements, where the' certificates referred to nre of- a more or loss formal character, and there is no. suggestion of possible litigation, a fee not exceeding £1 Is, for each certificate, viz:., £2 2s. in all, will, if recommended by our branch agent, and approved by Head Office, bo added to the ninouut of the compensation. In view of the faofc that the .legal and medical advice is to bo both competent and independent, T am instructing our branch agonfe to see Jhat the worker is quite untrammeltad in the choice of. his adviners. I think the above win meet the obleotlon that has- beqn raised/ 1