WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 933, 28 March 1930, Page 9

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

IMPORTANT RESULTS EXPECTED COMMITTEES INQUIRY Special to TUB SUN WELLINGTON, Today. I Important consequences arc expected to attend the findings of the comuu tee appointed by the Government to bear evidence on tnc subject of tiiv Workers' Compensation Act, which now sitting in Wellington. The decision to appoint the committee fol.o\ved upon continued representations by the delegates of various . . . j test on the sueject of wlmt is a fair | rate of compensation for injured work • j ers. The Aineikung Act oi aH2o raised I the compensation in the case of total I dependency from loti times to 200 umes j Lite average weekly earnings ithut is I irom three to four years). With an inI create in the maximum payable to any I one worker. Tms maximum nuo previously been a: 750 and the Act made it £ 1,000. in Cite case ol total incapacity, tiie ameiiument raised the proportion to be paid from 58 per cent, of .he average weekly payments to tiu --3 per cent., raised the weekly maximum payab»e from £3 1.5 sto £4 y week, and the total from £750 to i £I,OOO. ! The Amending Act came into force j on January 1, 1927, and is stated to have resumed in a largely increased call upon uie insurance companies. \vh • have latterly been defending man: more compensation claims than foi meriy. The increase to these companies is set down at from 15 pc: cent, to 17& per cent, of the claims paid. The principal objects of the trad, unions are to obtain recognition ol an employer's liability for fuil wages an-, a continuing liability for life instead of the present four years. This latte: point is taken from the much-dis cussed Ontario Act, which it was re commended by the Industrial Conference of tv* o years ago should be tin. subject of investigation, and which the Federated employers stated they wer. willing to consider. However, it is expected that alteration of the New Zealand compensation system to embody provisions of the Ontario Act woutu mean an increase of 50 per cent, in the premius paid, and for that reason employers are not willing to accept selected clauses of the Act, thougn it is possib.e that they wou.d give serious consideration to tlio majority of tne provisions of the Act.

YV nat is not generally realised At* that in its scope tne Ontario Act is much more unfavourable to tho worker man tne New Zealand legislation. The New Zealand legislation covers ail workers except tnose who arc not performing manual labour and wnose remuneration exceeds £4OO per annum, and those persons who are employed by persons not in trade or nuoiness who are engaged on nonhazardous work as specified in the first schedule ol the Acl For instance.

worker employed to do gardening work by someone wno was not in the nursery trade is not covered, as he is not employed for pecuniary gain, though domestic servants tire covered. On the other hand, the Ontario Act excludes a large number of workers, the list including all agricultural worker* s , domestic servants, wholesale an.l retail business workers, hotel and restaurant workers, public garage attendants, workers in passenger conveyances, casual workers not engaged in specified industries and all industries where less than four (or in some cases, six) workers are employed. The maximum payable under this Act\ts 2a dodars 64 cents a week, tho minimum 12 dollars 50 cents a week (in New Zealand there are a £4 and £1 maximum and minimum), and weekly payments may extend over life instead oil as in this country, over six years, iu cast of death, widows receive 40 dollars a month under the Canadian Act, with 10 dollars additional for each child under 16 years, with a minimum of 12 dollars 50 cents fer a widow with one child, the monthly maximum not to exceed 66 2-3 per cent, of the worker’s wages. If a widow

r marries, the monthly payments cease, but she receives a lump sum ec-ual to two years’ compensation. In addition, she receives a lump sum of 100 dollars at death.

Canada also provides all necessary’ medical, surgical and hospital expenses, including artificial limbs and transportation, with a proviso that these shall not be more than if the workman himself were paying the bill In New Zealand medical expenses aro not to exceed £l. The Ontario Act also removes any civil remedy foi damages, whereas in New Zealand suit for damages may be taken in the Supreme Court. Employers contribute to the State Accident Fund in Ontario, and it is claimed that thi.fund is administered at a much smaller overhead cost and would release additional sums for compensation in New Zealand if the system were introduced here. However, this would moan virtual State control of accident insurance, a measure which Is not likely to be introduced by any except a Labour Government LABOUR REPRESENTATION DISSATISFACTION FELT MINERS MAY WITHDRAW Special to THE SUN WELLINGTON, Today. It is rumoured that a section of the labour organisations is to declare “black” the Workers’ Compensation Act inquiry. Dissatisfaction has been expressed about the nature of the appointment of Mr. T. Blodworth to the committee, as representing Labour. The Labour organisations say they wer' not consulted by the Minister before the appointment was made. It is now indicated that the miner-' organisation, which was expected to come forward early in the inquiry, has definitely decided to offer no I evidence. I It is expected at present that the inquiry will proceed notwithstanding j the difficulty which has arisen.