Grey River Argus and Blackball News TUESDAY, June 27, 1922. LIVES AND LIBELS.

Grey River Argus, 27 June 1922, Page 4

Grey River Argus and Blackball News

TUESDAY, June 27, 1922. LIVES AND LIBELS.

Delivered every moi ning in Gr< rath. K -a, Hokitika, Dobson, Wailsend. Taylv. .rille, Ngahere. Blackball, Nelson Creek, Brunner, Te Kingha Rotomanu. Poerua, Inchbonnie. Patara, Ruru, Kaimata, Kotukr Moina, Aratika. Bunanga. Dunoliie, Cobden, Baxters, Kokiri, Ahaura, Ikamatua, Stidwater, Waiuta, Reefton. Ross. Ruatapua. Manantu, Hari Hari, Waiho Gorge, Weheka, Rcwanul, Otira, Inrngahua Junction, Westport, Waimangaroa, Denniston. Granity, Millerton. Ngakawau. Hectac 9 Seddouvill \ Cape Foul wind, and Karamea.

The law of the land has during the past generation been altered on numerous occasions to guarantee greater compensation for workers injured or killed in connection with their occupations. However, it must be admitted that prevention of accidents is far preferable to compensation. Numerous inspectors have been appointed also to guard against accidents to workers, as well as to conserve the. public health \n other ways, every citizen’s life being recognised as deserving of preservation not only intrinsically, but as an asset to the country . The recent libel action against this paper, however, afforded an illustration of tho dangeia which manual workers still continue to run in any industry which is either new or has expanded more rapidly than allows for legislators realising the growth of the risks attaching to it. So far as personal antipathies may have entered into the case, this paper has no concern with it. but all along, its i aim has been solely to bring the Go- I vernment to see greater precautions are necessary, in our estimation, as well as in that of the workers themselves, in the way of averting casualties. It was made evident in this case that j one inspector had to cover an area < stretching from Karamea in the North ■ down to Okuru in the South, wherein I there are about 550 boilers and nearly

400 oil engines to inspect, which the j Inspector has been examining at the ; rate of five per diem, according to his i own evidence. The boilers would | thus require 110 days, and the oil en- ; glues another 80, so that the travelling 1 needed means only an annual inspection, except for special contingencies which do not await an Inspector’s arrival. It was also pointed out in tho case that the stipulation as to ‘ ‘ effective control’’ of engines by those in charge has not yet been properly defined in this country. Indeed the case served the purpose of revealing how surprisingly great is the risk of accidents, and ’tis no good for tho worker to be told even by a Judge of the Supreme Court that sin accident for which an Inspector has no responsibility is a thing that simply cannot be helped. We have all along maintained the Government should see that employers of labour are allowed" to spare no expense where there is question of protecting workers’ lives. The various limber workers’ organisations all over the country have been calling attention to the need for more frequent and more complete inspection, not merely of machinery or boilers, but of woodwork, bridges, belting, and other things. The public could perceive at the Court last Friday the common line of demarcation as between employer and employee by many significant facts. So far as a union’s executive officer is concerned, if he does not study to foresee contingencies, and make new dangers evident to the authorities, who, wo would like to know, is there left to do so on the workers behalf? A State official has his hands full, and has to consider both sides, and is naturally prone to avoid the possibility of friction. And to rigidly enforce all safeguards that an industry like milling requires is very likely to result in friction. for employers have as a class everywhere and always bad to be made fulfil their obligations to protect labour by legal enactments. Hence also the large number of accident Compensation suits! Woodwork, from its perishable nature, needs regular and close inspection. In the recent case there was ample indication that the most serious of the three accidents resulted from decay in woodwork. The fact that the beam preserved the Court’s inspection was the best of those involved in the accident—-the other

woodwork had been burned—was significant. A machinery expert might not be the best fitted inspector of timber in any connection. Another fact tha came'to light was that at one null where an accident- was in question, belts had been protected after it occurred, as also ill another case pulleys were provided after an accident. As a Labour paper the “Argus” wants to see these precautions taken at once, without in each mill waiting for another casually to emphasise still further the necessity. If we do not take that stand, we are worthless to th working class, who have not so very many friends when it comes to the attual test. It will take a great deal ftiore than law suits to throttle our voice When there is a question of battering away at the powers that be fo the fullest possible protection for every working man and woman in the land. It we cannot educate the Government, t l iell we shall aim to educate the public who can then change the Goverm ment! It matters little to us if those who are in control of workers should talk about “revolutionary” unionism, because we are not going to worry about their words, but are out tor re forms and results. We have noble ex amples among those who have in the mmt suffered for the workers welfare, and the “Argus” will, despite all ob, staclcs, go on endeavouring to follow in their honoured footsteps.