CRIMINAL INJURIES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30270, 24 October 1963, Page 5

CRIMINAL INJURIES

Monetary Loss Limit Low (Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON. Oct. 22. His own criticism of the Criminal Injuries Compensatdon BiU was in the relatively low ceiilng of c ompensation payable to victims suffering pecuniary loss, said the Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) in Parliament tonight. This brought about a belief that perhaps workers’ compensatiod ceilings were not as high as they should be and had not kept pace with advancing living standards and the fall in the value of money.

“If workers' compensation ceilings were amended, I would expect this to alter too,” he said. Mr Hanan said compensation could be paid for psychological injury. If the person affected could not carry on his work, weekly payments could be made, or, if the damage came under other headings, the appropriate payment could be made. case of a bystander who suffered psychological damage, for example a child witnessing a crime of violence, it would not suffer pecuniary loss if it were still at school. Similarly, it would suffer no such loss if, its sitting an examination were delayed. But the parent of the child could recover.

He did not claim the bill to be perfect, but it was a good step forward and the first comprehensive legislation of its kind in the world. The bill was read a second time

Off-Course Gambling On November 5, New York City will hold a referendum on the legislation of off-track totalisators. Legislation would help State revenues and reduce illicit bookmaking, the “New York Times” commented today. New York, October 22.