Accident Insurance.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 164, 23 July 1901, Page 3

Accident Insurance.

(To the Editor of Times.) Sik, —Kindly allow mo to say a few words regarding the above subject in reply to Mr Lowndes. He asks why Air Stafford should go out of his way to point out in regard to accident insurance how grievously the Act affects employers of labor, and in a grand peroration contends that Air Stafford should stick up for the working man. Is the working man the only one whose rights are to be considered ? As far as I can see the laborer in this country needs no champion, for he can look after himself very well. Ho geper. j ally receives a gockl raw of wages and lives well, whilst his children can as a rule learn music and painting and whatnot. Surely the working moil have sufficient self-respect to look after and insuro themselves againstaccident. Were I an employer, which I never shall be if I can help it, I should certainly demand that my workmen should insure themselves. I agree with Air Lowndes that- tho workmen should be insured, but I contend they should insure themselves. If through any neglect of his employer a man meets with an accident which ordinary care would not have prevented, of course, he is entitled to compensation, but otherwise I cannot see that he is. Ido not object to accident- insurance in itself, but simply raise the question as to whose shoulders the burden should fall on, Legislation of tho kind is taking away all self-respect, independence, and manliness from the working men, and should be repealed atonce.—l am, etc., New CkVM,