WORKERS' COMPENSATION

Evening Star, Issue 19024, 20 August 1925, Page 4

WORKERS' COMPENSATION

FULL BENEFITS URGED BILL APPROVED, BUT SHELVED fFBOii Hue Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON. August 20. Briefly Mr Howard’s Workers’ Compensation Bill, the second reading of which w«is reached in tho House or Kopresent:)lives last night, _ sought to secure the victim of an, accident £I.OOO for total disablement instead cl £<bo as formerly, and it also sought to place compulsion on the employers to insure workers against accident with the Slate Accident Insurance Department. The Bill was vigorously championed by Mr Roland (Ohinomuri), who said that the worker only claimed vhat ho was entitled to—full pay when ho was disabled during employment. A daily wage-worker now receiving Lis per day obtained only 7s 9d while he was disabled by injury sustained in the course of his employment, thoiigh ho might be a married man paying from £1 to per week for rent. At the present time the shareholders in a private insurance company drew more in dividends than did the victims of accident and disablement. They should not allow this sort of thing to go on. The Minister in charge (Sir Heaton Rhodes) indicated that the accident insurance policy would he a reduction of premiums and higher benefits, and it would automatically become a btato m Mr P Parry expressed gratification at the future policy indicated by the Minister, and after Mr Howard had replied stating that tho State could haio paid 100 per cent, sick pay with medical and other costs, given at a -0 per cent, rebate, and put aside 32 per cent, lor contingencies on tlie premiums chaiged bv private insurance companies, the Him was referred to the Labor Committee, and tho House adjourned.