WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1920, Page 5

WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

REMEDYING DEFECTS. . . (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) • Wellington, July 1. • Moving for leave to t introduce the Workers' Compensation Amendment Bill, Mr. E. J. Howard (Dhrißtchurcb. South), who is one of the new Labor members) asked the Government to indicate if it wag willing to take up his Bill. He proposed that the, limit of compensation under the Act should be increased from £SOO to £760, and that the workers should be protected from an unfair definition of common employment. A waterside worker in Lyttelton had suffered fatal injuries through the use of defectable gear. A jury awarded damages to the extent of over' £2OOO, but had blamed a ship's officer for the state of the gear. The Court of Appeal had held that the waterside worker and the ship's officer were fellow employees of the shipping company, and had reduced the damages payable by the company to £SOO. The court allowed the company costs, and the widow eventually got about £SO. Eminent authorities had admitted the need for an amendment of the law regarding common employment. The Minister for Labor (Hon. W. H. Henries) advised Mr. Howard to have the Bill pent to the Labour Bills Committee after its second reading. Tim committee would report on the Bill and the Government could then decide what it would do.