EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3241, 9 December 1880, Page 3

EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—As tho Star ia pre-eminently the representative of the working man, and ever ready to raise its voice iv tho cause of humanity and justice, I need not apologise for trespassing on your space, while I appeal to the working men of Auckland, through you, to urge on our Representatives the necessity of introducing to the House of Assembly an "Employers' Liability Act." Let a man bring undue influence to boar on his horao by goading him to perform a task incommensurate with hia strength, and a hundred voices would acclaim, " shame," and " cruelty," and the owner of that horse having committed a penal action would bo held answornblcj to law. Our Bishop raised his voice a short timo since on behalf of the dumb creation, ia a manner well worthy of that good man ; and tl a[si remarkable fact|that those countries most assiduously protect their domestic animals are tho most prosperous and the highest in the scale of nations. But while Bociety protects the lower creation from the repaoity of man, it is our first duty to Bee that wo arc duly protected from each other, for in too many instaucos are Burn's words realized, that "man's inhumanity to man make countless thousands mourn." There aro a number of boys and youths employed in our city about machinery, and with what results the ghastly records of the Hospital too plainly testify. I submit that until employers are taught that their workmen, are something, more than mere automata or machines, and that each of their lives and limbs, when inordinately sacrificed, representso many pounds sterling, so long will tho present carelessness prevail, and with similar results. Let them ouce realise tho grand fact that such occurrences disturb the financial equanimity of their bank books, and such accidents will bo fow and far between. Although no pecuniary consideration would adequately repay a loving mother for the maiming of her offspring, ithere is something truly touching in tho attendant circumstances of the poor boy Smyth, at present in the hospital, haviug lost hia right arm by a late acccident, and an inherant nobility of character displayed, beautiful to contemplate, in one so young. It was in consequence of the prolonged illness of bis father that stimulated the poor lad to earn his own livelihood, although such a thingwas ncvormooted to himby his parents, nor was thero any immediate necessity for hia doing so. After absenting himself for an unusually long time from homo ono day, his mother asked him on his return where he had beou, aud his reply was, " I have been looking for a job, and have got one." But, sir, coming evonts do not always cast their shadows before, and it would have beon better for this twelve-year old hero had he been unsuccessful. It is impossible for us to compute what our countiy) has lost by these accidents, for such characters as this, «*hen doveloped, build an empire,—Yours, &c, - G.Y.B.