Clarification sought on compensation

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33541, 23 May 1974, Page 7

Clarification sought on compensation

Certain “grey areas” in the Accident Compensation Act affecting shearers, casual workers and farmers is giving members of the provincial executive of North Canterbury Federated Farmers cause for concern.

The executive is to seek clarification, througJi its Dominion council, from the Accident Compensation Commission.

Clarification is being sought on open shed and contractural shearing, wet weather shearing, and the position of the casual farm worker.

The president (Mr A. F. Wright) said that the way the act was worded at present made it virtually unworkable for the fanning industry.

Farmers were paying a proportion of their income into the compensation scheme yet apparently received no benefit themselves.

In essence it appeared they were simply subsidising another section of the community. The farmers were concerned at their own compensation under the terms of the act. Mr D. M. Foster said that for the self-employed farmer to prove loss of earnings through injury was nearly impossible. Mr M. R. Barnett suggested that until some fanner made a claim and was refused a little pressure could be brought to bear. The executive decided to ask branches for evidence of where this occurred so that la case could be made that i would strengthen the hand of

the farmers’ representatives in their discussions with the commission’s representatives. POWER LINE Following objections by the Ministry of Works to an agreement between the New Zealand Electricity Department and Federated Farmers about pylons on farmers’ land for new transmission lines running north of Christchurch, farmers who will be affected have been invited to attend the next meeting of the executive.