POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1201, 9 August 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION. A NEW BILL. The Hon. J. A. Millar's Bill to amend the Workers' Compensation Act was circulated yesterday. It proposes that in 'Addition to thn compensation payable under the Act of 1008, an injured worker will bo onlitlod to a reasonable allowance, not exceeding £1< for medical or surgical attendance, including first aid. In those cases iv to the average weekly earnings upon which compensation is calculated exceed .£5, account may, in the discretion of the Arbitration Court, lie taken of any pciriods during which the worker .hns been unable to work because ot the intermittent nature of the cmploynient, if it was impracticable, that the. worker should be employed at other remunerative work.

When a worker has been promoted within twelve months immediately preceding the accident, and his wages have been increased, the Court is to take, us liis average, weekly earnings the amount earned weekly since the date of the promotion.

Another amending clause is to extend t.ho operation of tho principal Act to apply to accidents occurring "within tho outer boundaries of tho territorial waters."

Under the principal Act. compensation is not payable if the. accident was due to tho wrious and wilful misconduct of the worker. It is now proposed that, this exemption shall not apply if the accident results in death or permanent disablement. It is also provided that any agreement for tho settlement of a compensation claim in order to be binding must bo made in waiting, and approved by a magistrate or an inspector of factories. The provision for the recovery of medical and funeral expenses relating fo a deceased worker is lo be extended vo npply to medical expenses of an injured worker. Under tho principal Act-an eye, hand, or foot is deemed to bo lost if it is ren.dored wholly and permanently useless. This "ovision is to bo extended to all parts «f tho body scheduled under tho principal Act. ' SELECT COMMITTEES.^ The Lands. Public Accounts, aud Agricultural and Stock Committees have not yet been called together. Th« other select committees of the House met this morning, and elected their chairmen, as follows:—Public Petitions, A to L, Mr. Vernon Reed: Public Petition, M to '/,, Jlr. Craigie; Education, Mr. Sidoy; Goldfields and Minos, Mr. Poland; Statutes' Revision, Mr. Hanan; Labour Bills, Mr. .Arnold; Kativo Affairs, Mr. Jennings; Local Bills, Mr. Laurnison: Reporting, Debates and Printing, Sir AVilliam Steward;' Library (joint), Mr. Frasor; Petitions' Classification, Mr. Poolej Railways, Mr. Hogan; Statutes' Revision, Sir Arthur Guinness. GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING. A propositi is being made, by Mr. Wright that 'all Government advertisements in connection with the general election at the local options polls should be given to all newspapers, irrespective of their political opinions. COMMISSIONS. Tho momber : for Otalti has'given notice of motion for,, a return shmving. tho total cost of the Native Lands Commission and of the StatufiJry.' Revisions' Committee, and nlso an estimate of the actual saving to the country that would have been effected ,if some person other than tho Chief Justice .had acted as chairman of thoso commissions. COOK ISLANDS ADMINISTRATION. Members are showing ; some impatience at the non-appearance 'of the report by the Chief Justice on tho administration of tho Cook Islands. Mr. Glover has joined the members N who have already asked for the report, having at yesterday afternoon's sitting aguin urged that tho report should bo presented without delay. THE REWARDOF GENIUS., , ... Charles Seymour Trillo, of ■Wellington, states in a petition to Parliament that until last August ho. was on tho permanent stalf of the Railway Department as a turner. In March, 1010, ho invented a lathe chuck "to improve tho system of manufacturing metallic packing for locomotives by three to one," but..he made tho mistake of applying direct to the Head effico over tho heads of his superior officers. Mo was shortly afterwards put on an inferior job, and on August 12 ho was suspended. Ho is still under suspension, ami ho asks for compensation for loss of offioc,

BRIEF MENTION.. A return showing the. area of land eet aside for educational endowments since December 31. 190G, is being asked for by Mr. Fisher. He, proposes that thfl return should contain 'particulars of tho area, leased during tho past financial year, and of tho revenue derived from the endowments duiiwr tho same periods.

Mr. Russollis urging the Minister for Railways to increase llio mures of men employed in shifts at tho "principal railway centres. Ho is informed that sonic men working on the railway at Christchurch are paid as little, (is ss. Od. per dny: tint porters omnloycd as shunters are paid only porters' wages,