WORKERS' COMPENSATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 286, 27 August 1920, Page 6

WORKERS' COMPENSATION

. * NEW PROPOSALS.'' Extensive amendments to the Workers' Compensation Act were suggested to> tho Mte ' rf , Ll l bour < Sir William He! nes) yesterday by a deputation representative of unions of workers engaged in industries ; where U» work is arduousand AmnW 7 t? acoident ?°5 *ge iwoDa represented were the shearers, *he slaughtermen, the waterside workers, the farm workers, and the Public Works men. The only spokesman for the deputation was Mr. M. J. Eeardon. His proposals wero that tha New Zealand (government should adopt a set of proposals which he had taken from tha workers compensation law in the State of California. Following were Mr. Beardon'6 proposals in brief:— (1) That a board be created to consist of three members and whichi shall bo known as the "Industrial Accident Commission," for the- purpose of determining all questions which may arise within the scope of the Act, This board shall ■ b& given power— (a) To insist upon adequate provision for the comfort, health, safety, and' general welfare of any and all employees and th<oso dependent upon them for support to the extent of relieving from the consequences of any injury incurred by omployces in the course of their employment, irrespective of tho fault of any party. ' , ■ (b) To,insist upon full provision for securing safety in places of employment.. (c) To insist upon full provision being made by employers for such medical, surgical, hospital, and other remedial treatment as is requisite to cure and relieve from the effects of such injury., (d) To supervise and control the State compensation for accident insurance fund bo that full provision, for adequate insurance coverage against the liability for employers shall be available at moderate cost. • , ... (e) To determine any matter arising under this Act to the end that the adminiotration of this Act shall accomplish substantial justice in all cases expeditiously, 'inexpensively, and without encumbrance of any character. (2) That compensation, for accident shall be the full amount of the wages earned at.time of injury. , ' (3) Unlimited medical, surgical, and hospital treatment. Specialists to be ongaged for special work. , • (4) Rehabilitation of -the maimed. h) Tho death benefit should not bfl less than X 750 nor more than iISOO for full dependency. . . .: Mr. Eeardon stressed as tho most important of all the proposals that for the setting up of a commission to investigate Si accidents and to determine ho amount of compensation. He pointed to weakness in the present law v by which on the one side in the negotiations was jv wealthy insurance company and on the other side an injured man without resources. If tho injured man were not satisfied he.had to go to law. In the Califomian scheme the injured man was not even required apply to the commission. It was the duty of tho commission to investigate" the ««?.«"} if the amount of compensation allowed were not sufficient., to increase u. Sir William Hemes said that M would he obliged to to Burden if h« would come before the Miwr Bilb Committee.to give evidence on when tho Government. Bill and Mi. noward's Bill dealing with con—hen wore bcinff considered. He could not unIrtnke to adopt Mr. Eeardon's proposals, beZTe they had not had the attention of the Department to any great M. " though thov had knowledge of tha cEinn scheme, He had no intond«a flv m «i far this session as Mr. Heal,onhfd^icl,Whathew! fi ,«lto bwTto remedy sonic of the obvious anomalies of the present law, and then Sps before next session, as had been Sestcd, he ontarht set up a commission foTinto. the whole of the Labour laws of the Dominion in order to amend thom all together. The Arbitration and Conciliation' Act needed a good deal of amendment. All that he proposed to do this session was to remedy glaring anomalies which should have been remedied during the war but for tho war making domeshc legislation impossible. He promised thw session to hring down a Bill dealing with compensation for accidents, no thought the California]! scheme had much to commend it, »vnd he would he glad to learn about it. Possibly something mnrht bo done conccrnin? it this session. His own Bill ho would clad to submit to Mr.'EeMdon, and would be glad if Mr. Eeordon would give evidence upon it.