EN ROUTE TO PARADES

Evening Star, Issue 24005, 2 October 1941, Page 3

EN ROUTE TO PARADES

INJURY COMPENSATION FOR GUARDSMEN PREMIER PROMISES CONSIDERATION RAISES LARGER ISSUE OF WORKERS • (Special.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 1. Members of the Home Guard who are injured while on the way to or from i'parades are likely to receive compensation in the future, according to a stateJment by the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, who will report to Cabinet on the subject shortly. This information was given to the House when the Public Petitions Committee, reporting on a petition from a Taranaki Home Guard member who claimed compensation for injuries sustained in a motor accident while on the way to a Homo Guard parade, recommended the request for most favourable consideration by the Government. Mr Wilkinson (Egmont) explained the circumstances. The petitioner received a severe injury to one eye, and although it had always been thought members of the Home Guard were covered by insurance while on their way to or from parade, it was found that compensation was only payable in respect of injuries sustained while actually on duty. This threw the whole position into the discard, and the petition raised an important principle, for it had been said that Territorials were not covered against accident nnder similar circumstances. Unless the Government dealt with the position it would, he suggested, have a had effect on a movement which was rendering such good service in the defence of the country. The Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, stated that after the previous discussion in the House on the subject he had collected all the data available personally, and he believed that he couldl speak for the Government. He believed that something should.he. d<jne to make compensation automatically, available to Home Guard members injured under the. circumstances mentioned. Mr Lee: And Territorials too. The Minister agreed. The journey

to and from parades should, he thought, be covered by insurance! Mr Semple, Minister of National Service, said lie had given an undertaking that the Home Guardsmen would be insured while on duty, and that promise had been carried out. The movement was new in the Dominion, and these problems wore likely to crop up. Territorials were not covered while going to and from camps, but only when on duty, and if the Home Guard position was improved, that of the Territorials should also ho favourably considered. Home Guards often had to travel long distances to parades, and there were risks on the highway. After several members had commended tlie committee’s report and the Ministerial undertaking, the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, suggested that the reply of his colleague would give general satisfaction, and the House would approve anything done to show appreciation of the services of the Horae Guard; but he would remind members that there was also the Workers’ Compensation Act, and he would he glad to got their assurance that they would support a proposal to give similar cover to workers going to and from their work. Mr Holland: Are you prepared to recommend it? The Prime Minister: I would be prepared to consider it. Mr Holland: So are we. Mr Lee: I think an invalidity pension is preferable to compensation. The Prime Minister: If the Home Guards are to be protected, what about the great mass of the workers? Members will realise that this opens up an important precedent. Mr Forbes: The Home Guards are not employed by employers. The Prime Minister repeated that he was prepared to accept the principle covering Home Guards while going to and from parades, hut he could see that it could not stop at that point.. There would have to he some precautions, as a guardsman might leave a parade to go to some entertainment. Mr Forbes: There should he some time limit. Mr Wilkinson suggested that some provision should he made in cases where accidents occurred when Home Guards were driven to parades in the car of one of their number. The Prime Minister agreed that this would have to he considered. Cabinet would he pleased to give every protection to the members of the Home Guard, to whom the country owed an enormous debt of gratitude.