The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, February 1, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1001, 1 February 1912, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, February 1, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The fifteenth ol this month will either confirm or give the lie to the rumours which have been circulated concerning the plan of action which Sir Joseph Ward intends to adopt when he meets Parliament assembled. There is reason to believe that many surprises are in store for the electors throughout the Dominion, and the session should be one of the most eventful on record. In respect to what may happen a prominent Liberal member informed the Mataura Ensign that Sir Joseph Ward has decided to resign on February 14, and will recommend Mr Massey to the Governor. At a later stage Mr Thomas MacKenzie will move a no-confidence motion against Mr Massey. Mr Millar resigns his seat and portfolio, and absolutely goes to Australia, and this has had no small influence on Sir Joseph Ward’s decision. Commenting on the news the Ensign says : ‘‘So many rumours are aloot it is hard to place trust in any, but we have the word of the informant that the arrangement as stated has been come to by the party. Whether the party will ultimately change its plans is another matter.”

The late Duke of Fife, whose death took place at Wady Haifa, near Cairo, this week, was oue of the largest landowners in England, his estates extending over 249,300 acres (mostly poor laud, however), led a fairly eventful career. He was born in 1849, and by his marriage with Princess Eousie in 1889 became a son-in-law of King Edward VII. and Queen Alexandra. His wife, who was created Princess Koyal in 1905, was the eldest daughter of the Koyal Family. His two children are both daughters, the elder being Her Highness Princess Alexander, who, born in 1891, is heir presumptive to the dukedom and the Macduff earldom. The other daughter (Princess Maud) was born in 1893. The Duke first sat in Parliament as member lor Elgin in 1874, and was at one time president of the British South Alrica Company. On December 12 01 last year the Duke, his wife and one daughter, had the mislortune to be on board the big steamer Delhi at the time of her wreck near Tangier. Together with the rest of the paity the Duke suffered rather severe hardships on that occasion, being upset from a boat in making shore, and as he died from a pulmonary complaint, this may possibly have aggravated his trouble, it is understood the body will be taken to England aboard a battleship. The newspapers pay a tribute to the Duke of FTfe’s unbending loyalty and probity towards his tenants. He had deep religious convictions, and was a devoted husband and lather,

Domestic servants are brought under the operation of the Workers' Compensation lor Accidents Act passed last session, and the new provision comes into force on March 1. Alter that date the householder will be liable lor compensation in the event of the servant sustaining injury of a temporary or permanent nature. As in the case of other occupations the accident insurance companies are preparing a scale of rates to meet the demand which, it is anticipated, will be made by householders who desire to insure themselyes against any claim that may be made upon them in this way. When the Bill was belore the House, Sir Joseph Ward, speaking ol the proposal to include domestic servants, said the scheme would cost employers about xos a year, and enquiries made of the companies go to bear out that statement, although the rates have not yet been definitely fixed. The general impression appears to be m this connection that the servant is personally insured. That is not the case, explains the Wellington Post. The employer takes out a policy indemnifying him up to a certain amount against claims for accidents by his servant or servants whoever they may be, and, in the ordinary course, when an accident happens the claim arising out of it is referred by the employer to the company. The employer is not liable for any injury which does not disable the worker for a period of at least one week from earning full wages, nor of any injury which is proved to be directly attributable to the serious and wilful misconduct of the worker, unless the accident results in death or permanent disablement. The

maximum weekly sum payable as compensation is £2 10s. Domestics employed for a period of less than one week do not come under the Act.