COMPENSATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1922, Page 5

COMPENSATION.

INCREASE IN BENEFITS. HELP UNDER THE NEW BILL. PLEA FOR LOWER-PAID MEN. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House went into committee on the Workers’ Compensation Bill to-night. f On clause 4, Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland f Central.' moved an amendment that a des ceased worker’s dependants should receive compensation equal to the amount of the i deceased’s average weekly earnings for five 1 years. He desired to see the dependants of the small wage-earner benefited by the - increased compensation provided for high--8 er-paid persons under the existing legislar tion. » Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Oppo- ■ sition) said the basis of compensati'm should be a weekly allowance for widows and dependants and not on lump sum payments. He cited the pensions system as the fairest basis. Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West) said that if an increase in compensation in the case of a higher-paid man was justified, surely a proportionate increase in the case of a lower-paid man was equally justified. Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party) said the increase asked for need not • entail any addition to the premiums, as insurance companies now received twice as ; much in premiums as they paid out ir. claims. He thought the amendment was extremely moderate. Dr. H. T. Thacker (Christchurch East’ urged that in the case of younger widows and dependants the compensation for young dependants should be allocated and secured to them by statute, and not left to be disposed of at the will of the mother, who might not always act in the children’s best interests. The Minister said the proposal would mean an addition of 20 per cent, to premiums, and the Government could not ask for this from employers in the present condition of business and industry. The Bill as it stood made the best provision of any compensation in the world. Mr. D. Munro (Dunedin North) stressed the position of women workers in the industrial field earning small wages. The House should surely see that these received , just treatment for themselves and their dependants. The Hon. D. Stewart said the increase given in the 1920 amendment was designed simply to see that each case of compensation intended to be given under the original Act should accrue in every case. Mr. Holland thought the amendment so moderate that it did not meet the position, . and he appealed to the Minister to hold the clause over until he had time to go into ( the whole position. On a division the amendment was de- ( feated by 35 votes to 24. , In clause 5, Mr. Wilford moved to de- j lete from sub-clause 10 the words “but not exceeding one pound,” which would | mean that an injured person would, in ad- ] dition to the compensation payable, be en- j titled to reasonable expenses incurred in } respect of medical or surgical attendance. ; The Minister said he was unable to ac- ; , cept the amendment, because in 1920 the J i percentage was increased from 50 to <55, | the intention being at that time that the i additional 5 per cent, was to assist an J c injured person to meet his medical expenses, j In this Bill the percentage was again being ( increased to 58, which still further assisted i s an injured person. Further, the amend- J ment left the amount for medical services c too open. It would amount to £2O, and c that would become a serious matter. b Mr. Wilford said expenses still had to be reasonable, but if the Minister wanted a f definite amount they might "substitute £5 * for the £1 he proposed to strike out. r The amendment was defeated on the voices. The remaining clauses were passed as a amended by the Labor Bills Committee. t In the second schedule Mr. Parry moved I an amendment to include compensation for s the total loss of a big toe. It was point- a ed out that timber workers were specially liable to this class of accident. 1 The Minister said he recognised the mer- r its of the case, and if it could be done without undue expense he would have the amendment inserted in the Legislative Council.

On this understanding Mr. Parry agreed to withdraw his amendment. The Bill was then reported, read a third time and passed.