COMPULSORY INSURANCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9507, 6 May 1911, Page 3

COMPULSORY INSURANCE.

MR. LLOYD-GEORGE'S GREAT

SCHEME.

DETAILS OF THE MEASURE,

(Bi Ehotbio Telegraph-Copyright.) (PBB Pallas ASSOCIATION.)

LONDON, May 4. The House of Commons was crowdled, when the Invalidity and Unemployment Insurance Bill.was inferoi duced' by the Chancellor.' I Mr Lloyd-George was greeted with 1 general cheers after his absence owing to illness. His voice was fairly strong and he spoke for two and a half hours, unfolding the Bill, which' comes into operation on May Ist, .1912. Mr Lloyd-George paid a tribute to Hon. John Burns' services as President of the Local Government Board. The scheme of the Bill is that for the first year employers shall contribute nine millions to the fund for the insurance-of workers against sickness and eleven millions the second year, and the State shall contribute the first year £1,742,000, the second year £3,359,000, and the third year £4,563,000. ' The first year's benefits will amount to seven _ millions, and will rise to twonty millions in 1916. Accidents aro not included in the scheme. County Health Committees will, be formed to administer the sanatoria. A thirty shillings' _ maternity benefit will be allowed with the provision that a woman shall not return to work within a month. No sick pay will be given when illness is due to a man's misconduct. Doctors will be paid on Friendly Society 6cale, and medicines will be obtained from chemists. The scheme applies to toeii and women who are not liable to income tax. It is estimated that 9,200,000 men and 3,900,000 women will come under the compulsory clause, and 1,600,000 persons will be voluntary contributors, the latter including waiters, cab drivers and boys arid girls under 16. Special arrangements will be made for soldiers and sailors.

GENE-HAL APPROBATION,

LONDON, May 5. Unionist members of Parliament arc delighted with tho sickness and invalidity provisions of the Bill, but arc less emphatic in their approval of tho unemployment provisions, believing that they would add to the cost of manufacture, and should be accompanied by some form of protection against goods produced and other'conditions. Liberals are enthusiastic over the whole scheme, while Labourites generally approve, but regret that unemployment insurance is not more general.