Untitled

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 165, 24 July 1901, Page 1

The N.Z. Herald considers that the Accidents’ Act gives fine openings for blackmailing lawyers. The Cook County Council, down Gisborne way, is getting on. At its last meeting the chairman read the statement of accounts, which showed an overdraft for the month ended June of £9291. The Council is now, as a matter of course, “ looked up to,” as any of U 3 ought to be, and generally are, who have a good big debt. Lucky Cook County.-—Auckland Observer. Referring to the formation of the Farmers’ Union, the Auckland Observer says the formation of the Farmers’ Union seems to have created a flutter of anxiety in the dominant political circle in Wellington. Organisers who presumably work for the public good and despise such a sordid consideration as pay, have been despatched into the country. Mr Seddon, laying aside the role of Trade Unionist leader, and posing for the nonce as Farmer Hayseed, has addressed the settlers in his own spoon-fed district of Pahiatua on the curse of Capital. . And the result is the Producers’ Union. Its mission is to knock the Farmers’ Union into the proverbial cocked hat. Thus the political game between | he “in 3” and the “outs” goes on. Unless Mr Seddon mends his ways

a the matter of extreme Labor legislation, rowever, it is not very clear how he is going ;o reconcile aggressive trades unions legislation in the towns with the advancement of the farmers' interest? In the country. His very latest tad, the Workers Compensation for-Aceidents Act, has placed a heavy burden on the settler. The farmer has suddenly become liable for any and every accident that may happen to his farm hands, whether due to the men’s own carelessness or not. Necessarily, these farm laborers do not work under the settler's eye. Often they are left to their own devices for days together. And if a man ohances, in his cups, to fall over a heap of stones and break his leg, and it is as easy to say the aocident happened while felling a tree as not.