The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MAY 27, 1882.

Temuka Leader, Issue 9411, 27 May 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MAY 27, 1882.

We are informed by a cablegram that some of the Directors of the Ring Theatre in Vienna have been tried for negligence, through which the theatre took fire, convicted, and sentenced to imprisonment. This is businesslike. If the same sad catastrophe, by which many lost their lives, had occurred in Great Britain, or any of her dependencies, this trial would never have taken place. There would have been an in quest on the bodies, a good deal of legal flummery indulged in, and, unless it was shown that someone had deliberately set fire to the theatre, a verdict of “ accidental death” would have been recorded, and no more would have been heard of it. Ko inquiry would have been implicating the mayor, the police, and the directors ; no questions would have been asked about negligence, and no one would have been brought in guilty of any offence in connection with the matter. The law in Vienna, however, is different. If death is caused through the negligence of persons whose duty it is to prevent it, they are liable to be imprisoned for it. The law is somewhat similar in France. Some time ago a man was killed through the scaffold on which he was workmg being negligently constructed, and the Inspector of Works, as well as the contractor, was sentenced to imprisonment for it. We think it is quite right that persons placed in such positions should be punishable for lives lostthrough their negligence,and it is with much satisfaction that we notice that Mr Green, the newly appointed member for Dunedin Hast, has introduced a Bill into Parliament which provides that compensation should be paid to any workman for personal injury arising from defects in the way of works, machinery or plant, from the negligence of any person in the superintendence, from any act or omission done or made in obedience to by-laws or particular instructions, or from negligence of any person in the service of the employer having control of any signal point, engine, or train upon a railway. Compensation will be paid to the workman suffering harm, or in the case of death jto his legal representative. The ma::L i mum amount of compensation is not to j exceed three years’ earnings for the injured person, and the action for the recovery w ; ll not be maintainable unless notice of injury is given within six weeks, and action commenced within six months from the occurrence of the accident. The provisions of the Act are to apply to the Government as well as other employers, and a course of procedure is supplied for enforcing it. The term “workman” will not include a domestic or menial servant, but will refer to any railway servant, laborer, servant for husdandry, journeyman, artificer, handicraftsman, miner, or person otherwise engaged in manual labor. This will not make such negligence punishable by imprisonment, but at the same time it will have as good an effect. It will make employers more careful with regard to the lives of their employees if it passes, and we trust that it will.

Evidently parties are pretty evenly balanced in the House of Representatives. Major Atkin_on on last Tuesday, finding some of his supporters not then arrived, asked for leave to postpone the question of electing a Chairman of Committees, no doubt because lie was afraid of a beating. There were two of his supporters absent, and it shows that he has no great confidence in his strength when he would not dare to face the House without them. The Opposition seems to be getting into an organised form once more. Since the present Government came into office there has b en no decent opposition in the House. While Sir George Grey insisted upon leading, several of the members

would not follow him, and the result baa been the disorganisation of those who did not approve of the Hall Government. Now, however, evidently Sir George Grey has consented to take a back seat, and Mr Montgomery, member for Akaroa, has assumed the role of leader. Mr Montgomery is a very experienced politician, as honest and straightforward a man as there is in the House, and is likely to have a strong following. He is, besides, one of the best financiers in the House, and would do excellently as Colonial Treasurer, but it is very doubtful whether he would be a success as a Premier. He has not sufficient force of character to lead, he is not ready enough to see into the enemys manoeuvres, in fact he has not courage enough, but he is a man for whom there is great respect. He is an able man, and it is probable that there is none in the Opposition’s ranks who could keep a party together so well.