THE GOVERNMENT AND THE WORKERS COMPENSATION FOR ACCIDENTS ACT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 397, 5 January 1909, Page 7

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE WORKERS COMPENSATION FOR ACCIDENTS ACT.

' -SiiypAf letter oh'.the\above:'subject,' signed "Occasional Employer," .appears in this morning's "issue of your paper,' 'The position so far as the' "second;.division''-railway .worker is concerned is this;;—Ho pays-as contributions into the Railway Superannuation Fund anything from 5 per cent, to 10 per cent; of his; wages,. in: the event of his hieeting with, the loss of'an'arm or;ii leg •'. his : wages ■ are' immediately, reduced' '50 per .cent.",'' and : when able to resume.duty;-Is . generally/employed at: a : :,reduced iratej; ; but in- no iristahbO'is.'cohipensatiou'paid for the loss' and'injury hehas sustained; and'it is made.:very-plain by th^oseUn A charge-that he. is'; riot' .wanted:.- %n respbrisible.bffice'ri has; already,said;'that "There, are'itbb-many pripples'ijv- the; service." 'When the accidents'; rife .'.•fatal- the' widow, may;; choose, between' superannuation at ■ the - rate of.' £18' per' year(as';lorigll'&s i sh'er/femairis|singl6V'-'for herself, : and- ss,'''per'; week: .for'; each '"child until',.if reabhes the ageof 14.'years.; In,this case no rnoiieys are,paid under.' the: "Workers .Conir pe'risation ior'Acciden'ts 'Aqt.' .On'the other band,' if ! the.widow.: accepts.payment' under the. Workers 'Compensation. Act,- she. has no claim to, superannuation.' whiclij mark ; you, her .late husband has' paid. to : . received : In fact, one widow reoontly had the utmost difficulty- (extending". Over ;a"y.earj to' get .a fund, of the'contributions-paid,in. ..'.' 'Then,' if a member'having jnet -with an Jcqident .ultimately, dies as. a-result of that' ,accident, arid he 'has drawn 'any money out I under, the 'Workers Compensation ■ for Accidents Aot, the: Department'-pays his relatives the; difference.: only between; .what ho has drawn-out'in the shape of half-pay (50 per. cent;);. diid whatthey would be. entitled to. receive l under the Workers Compensation for Accidents-'Act; ; this .amount may. bo only, a few. pounds,, depending entirely,on the length' of;:tim'e he;-has,-been laid up with, the acciv 'deriti: : :, The. ast'onisliing.part. of,: the - whole business';is that airneraber.'of the first:division; -or clerical -staff; is : not' affected- in this 'way, b'ecauseyin siokuess or. accident-,ho;r'e-i'ceiyes' fulU'pa'y;; and. therefore does not come under the Act; whilst -the' second division worker , receives .', nothing for; sickness,.:; and' only''so per cent. i of. his earnings,. under the .Ac'tfor accident. '■,'■'- .:; "\i :'., -..;-; -.. y:; 1 ;'-' ~. I;., might. also point .out :,tkat-.-• any, young man joining, the,service'.-is- deemed-: to be temporarily, employed for the-.iirst three practically, on .trial. -.; If,at ■ the,.end;of- that time 1 ho should "fail to :pass;the most minuto medical,examination he;is.rejected, and his contributions'to tho superannuation: fund returned, notwithstanding that ,tho.'cause ;of 'his .being rejected was contracted -in : : tho 'servioe.;, A case of this kind has.'recently occurred/in .:this'city.': ! This\ man;, does; not., come under any; Act, but is thrown .out :Oti the street; for.' fear the Department, may.have to-pay;,put. under,the,'&>vernmerit Railways Superarinuation 'Fund as. medically .-unfit; If■' thi&'jis right-.for the Government, whyican■notthehuning .companies -on;the'West Coast. get 1 a.three-years',.trial with -their men, ,and medically examine them then, before becom? ing. liable.,,.. I am.-liying with the hope that the. Hon.- Millar ..will find 'some time to lopk:into the,working .of-many'things-'in the because Ministers,v,from -.Mr.. Cad;man."down to'tho'-present fciine, have been 'either: too busy, or too: ill to give lis; even a consideration,: everything-.being left' to "'the;'local .'officers, whoso sympathies arp 'riot with the men.—lam,, etc.,,,-. ->>■■. ■/ J; January ;lj, :.-:'■ '.;:.. ;);CASIJAL.:>