SEAMEN'S WAR RISKS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 141, 4 March 1918, Page 6

SEAMEN'S WAR RISKS

! COVER AGAINST LOSSES STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF MARINE After lengthy negotiations, the ; Hon. T. M. Wilford, Minister of Marine, was able on Saturday to mako public the details of' a scheme under which all seamen who'run war risks on our transports and other vessels engaged in war work will be covered against losses duo to enemy agency, and their dependants safeguarded in case of their death or disablement. The proposal was first brought to the Minister's notice by Captain Macindoe, of the Merchant Service Guild, and Mr. Wallace, of tho Marine Engineers' Institute, who referred Mr. Wilford to the fact that the British Government has established a scheme of compensation in respect of the death or injury of officers and seamen of tho mercantile marine, due to enemy, action. The Minister at once cabled to tho New Zealand High Commissioner for details of the English scheme, asking him to specifically state how funds are provided, and what assistance, if any, would' bp available from the Imperial Government; also whether the New Zealand mercantile marine was included in tho Board of Trade scheme, and, if so, under what terms. In view of the apparent loss of the Wairuna, the cablegram added, the matter is urgent. New Zealand in tho Scheme. The cablegram from the New Zealand High Commissioner received on December 17 was as follows :— "Board of Trade compensation scheme for death and injury to officers and seamen applies to all British ships, wherever, registered, therefore covers New Zealand ships • as well as ships registered in United Kingdom. Scheme has been in force since early in 1915, and compensation has been paid already in respect of several colonial ships. Forwarding particulars by mail, but officers and men can be 'definitely assured that they are covered by Imperial Government scheme. Scheme gives merchant vessels exactly .same scale of compensation as granted in respect to fleet auxiliaries. It is administered by War Risks Association en behalf of and under supervision of the Board of Trade. Greater part of tho cost is borne by Imperial funds. Amount of compensation varies ..with pay of rating concerned at pre-war rates. In the case of death a widow gets roughly one-third of pre-war rate of pay of her husband's rank, and about onc-twenty-fourth for each child."

Points Cloare'd Up. Several important points still remained to be cleared up, end tbe Minister of Marine sought the opinion of the Solicitor-General as to whether the officers aud men of the mercantile marine were fully protected under the scheme, pointing out that in the outline of the scheme which he had obtained from "Lloyd's" list there was no definite pronouncement as to Government responsibility. • "1 wish to eliminate the fear," said the Minister in his memorandum, "that the officers aud men engaged on ships travelling, fay, from New Zealand to America with foodstuffs for sale in that country were not covered." He pointed oiic that the Wairuna had apparently been lost with all bands on sucn a voyage. He got into communication with Captain Macindoe, Mr. Wallace, and the secretary of the Seamen's Union in Wellington, as representing the various branches of men engaged in the mercantile marine. The Seamen's I'nion secretary indicated general approval of the proposal,, while Captain i.U'.dndoo wrote, suggesting that ships' aiticles be endorsed, and also raising tile 'question of wages and passages to home ports where vessels have been sunk by war risks.

Clause in Ships' Articles. "After considerable discussion and consideration of the questions raised by tlioae concerned, the Minister of Defence prepared a clause to be inserted in the articles of all transport;, and hospital ships to the following effect: — If the vessel is lost by the act of the King's enemios, the New Zealand Government will return, tho trow to New Zealand, and will pay the wages of the,crew until their arrival in New Zealand. At all timed after tho loss of tho vessel as aforesaid, every member of the crew shall do all things reasonably neceiisary for enabling the Government! to return him to Now Zealand without delay, and every member shall obey all directions given to him iu that behalf by the captain or any officer of such ship, or by any agents of the New Zealand Government, or by any shipping office or British Consulate. In the absence of any direction to the contrary, every member of the crew shall, as soon as practicable after tho loss of the vessel, report himself to the nearest shipping office, :jf landed in a.British country, or at the nearest British Consulate if landed in a foreign country. Any member of the crew who commits any wilful breach of his obligation under this clause shall forfeit his right to bo returned to New Zealand or to receive fur-

ther wages. A further difficulty arose and had to be overcome when it was found that Clause 12b of the War Pensions Act of 1916, i giving the Governor-in-Council power to establish a schemo of pensions for officers and men of New Zealand transports, only covered those who serve lor tho period of the war. This is not tho usual term of engagement on 'those vessels, and the law is therefore a (lead letter until it can be amended. However, Mr. Wilford explained to t.bo representative of The Dominion thai the Minister of Defence has undertaken to provide for any cases which arise relating to officers and men on New Zealand-engaged transports, who are not provided for by Section 12 of the War Pensions Act, 1916, if they are at the time of the accident engaged in war work.

Benefits Under the Scheme. "As an indication of how the scheme will work," siiid the Hon. T. M. "SYilford, "I can take the example of a Boaman earning;, say, £18 per month, [n the event of his death his wife will receive, until sihe dies or remarries, £90 per annum; and one-twcnty-fourth of his pay in respect of each child. There is also compensation for loss of effects, and I have information of an instance in whicih an officer of a New Zealand vessel lost oil' the Lizard through enemy action received as compensation under this scheme £50 for th« loss of his effects. This will show that most of the- details have been gone into thoroughly under,the British "I have undertaken to Captain Macindoc on behalf at the Merchant-Ser-vice Guild, "that if any of the dependants of those who were lost in the Aunrimn nut in their claims in New Zealand T will forward them to the proper authorities in England, in order that compensation may lie paid under the scheme which has liuon outlined.