WORKERS' COMPENSATION BILL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10461, 27 October 1911, Page 5

WORKERS' COMPENSATION BILL

PLEASES NEITHER PARTY. '

REFERRED TO A COMMITTEE

(By Telegraph— iTess Ae&ociation.)

WELLEnGTON, Last Night

' *W lien the adjourned debate on the se<k>nd reading of the. • Workers' Compensation Bill t was called on in the Legislative Council to-day, the Attorney-General said that com>wunipatibns had reached him from employers in all parts of New Zealand* Objections iiad. also reached him from latfour organisations. iLn 'the- first instance the protests were against any extension of the existing law 3 and on the other side it was asked that section 62 of the Act should remain as it was at present. There were other sections of the'Bill which were also in' dispute, 'and he- could not resist the suggestion that the Bill should be sent to the Labour Bills Committee. It was possible the Bill might not be reported, but that could not be helped. He proposed to refer the Bill to the Lalbour Bills Committee, with power to take evidence.

Several members endorsed this proposal.

The Hon. Mr Barr objected, and said he would jsooner see clause struck out than ran the chance of losing the Bill. , After further discussion, the At-torney-General' .stated tbjat in hisi opinion the employees; had entirely misconceived the purpose of the clause. Still, in view of the fact that so much misapprehension h&dj arisen, he thought it was only proper that the Bill should .be referred to a Committee.

The Bill was accordingly read a second time on. the voices, and referred to the Labour Bills Committee, with instructions to report within forty-eight hours.