CIVIL CLAIMS

Grey River Argus, 18 May 1943, Page 3

CIVIL CLAIMS

ARRANGEMENTS FOR U.S. FORCES.

AUCKLAND, Mav 13.

A suggestion that the New Zealand Government should take action to supplement the arrangements made by the United States Forces for dealing with civilians’ claims by way of workmen’s compensation tor tunder common law respecting negligence by American personnel was made by an Auckland solicitor who has been concerned in such claims.

The proposal was that if the amount of compensation or damages determined by or on behalf of the American authorities was considered by a claimant to be inadequate, the Government should set up a nominal defendant against whom proceedings might be taken in the ordinary way

in the Compensation Court or the. Supreme Court, .as the case might be. If the Court awarded more than the American authorities had offered, the Government should make itself responsible for the excess, and for costs as fixed by the Court. The principle underlying his proposal, said the solicitor, was that if the American authorities’ procedure did not yield as much compensation I or damages as a New Zealand Court would allow, the New Zealand community should make good the difference because the whole community benefited by the activities of the American forces in the present war. i

, Whether moneys paid by the New [ Zealand Government in this way could be dealt with eventually under lend-le.ase was a matter on which he could express no opinion. The solicitor added that according to his information the Government was aware of the position, which particularly concerned waterside workers, and it was possible that _ something would be done. He did not wish to imply that the American authorities’ awards were always or even often, likely to be inadequate; the purpose was simply to preserve claimants’ full rights under New Zealand law.