WORKERS' COMPENSATION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 32, 2 November 1920, Page 8

WORKERS' COMPENSATION

BILL PASSED BY THE COUNCIL

A PROPOSED AMENDMENT DEFEATED

Sir Francis Bell last night moved the committal of the Workers' Compensation Amendment Bill in the Council. The Hon. J. MacGregor statod that In committee he would move an amend* me.nt providing, in cffoct, that tho limit upon the amount recoverable in actions under the Workers' Compensation Act for death caused by t'he negligence of a fellow-servant should apply to all actions taken in respect of the negligence of a fellow-servant. Mr. MacGregor contended that as tho law; stood at present an employer, not knowing what tho amount of his liability might be, was not in a position to insure himself '"rllo 'proposed amendment was strongly opposed by the Hon J. Barr, who claimed that if the employer showed himself anxious to exact his "pound of flesh it could only lead to bitterness oil the part of the worker. He believed that the intention of the Legislature in the past had been that, in the case of. a worker s death there should lie n choice between an action under the Workers' Compensation Act and an action at common law. Sir Francis Bell said he could not accept the amendment. It was not suitable for insertion in such a Bill, though it might embody a desirable, principle. If Mr. MacGregor brought in a BilJlo effect the purpose aimed at in the amendment, he personally would feel inclined to support it. All employer should he able bo insure against the results. not of his own negligence, but of tho .negligence of his servant. Nevertheless. he would ask the Council not to insert an amendment which, however ri»ht and just, should not go into tho particular Bill before the Council. , In committee, an amendment jirovlding that the Bill should come into force on February I 1921, was carried. The original date was April l._ 1921. By February 1, said Sir Francis Bell, the arrangements of the employers for tho increaso of insurance rendered necessary bv the Bill should be completed.. The workers, in support of their claim for an oarlier date than April 1, had saiil that it was unfair to postpone the benefits of the Bill when accidents were happening on the waterfronts at the rate of about 800 a year. Mr. MacGregor's amendment was lost by 23 votes to three, the only supporters of it being Mr. MacGregor himself, Mr. Mac Gibbon, and Mr. Gow. The Bill was read a third time and passed.