LEAKY GUM BOOTS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4991, 23 June 1926, Page 2

LEAKY GUM BOOTS.

WHOSE LIABILITY ?

WORKERS SEEK REDRESS.

Does the- leaking of cement tnrough a gumboot so as to cause inflammation of tlie foot, and ultimately bloodpoisoning constitute an accident within the meaning of the Workers’ Compensation Act ? Light on this point was sought by a deputation from tlie New Zealand Workers’ Union which waited on the Minister of Labour (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) at Wellington on Saturday. Mi 1 J. B. Williams brought under tlie notice of the Minister a case where the Workers’ Compensation Act seemed to be at ‘fault. In the works carried on by a large firm of contractors at Arapuni, he said, the men were compelled to use gumboots that had previously been used by other men. In some cases the boots were, punctured and the water and cement came through, causing inIlt'mination of the, feet Three men were at present in hospital with blood poisoning incurred through this cause,. The employers had refused to pay compensation in that case, and the New Zealand Workers’ Union had been informed that they had no case under tlie Workers’ Compensation Act. The average employer would have paid compensation under the circumsmtances, said Mr Williams, but the firm in question had definitely refused to do so. Tlie Minister said he did not see that inflammation of the foot, brought on gradually by a leaky gumboot could be classed as an accident. However, he would look into the question, a t s he was not satisfied that, he had heard both sides of the case. Mr Williams asked that the matter be attended to as one of urgency. There would be trouble if nothing was done. The men would not carry on under the present conditions. Mr H. K -Walters said he was in charge of the Public Works Department stores near Arapuni He knew from experience that almost every day the same gumboots were sent out to different meh. No attempt had been made to fumigate them. The Minister asked whether there had been instances before of men contracting blood poisoning through defective, boots. It seemed to him that this was an isolated instance, otherwise it was strange that the matter had never been brought up to his notice previously. Mr Williams said that there had been other cases, but this was a particularly glaring instance.

The Minister promised that his department would look into the matter immediately and communicate with the union as soon as the exact position had been ascertained.