COMPENSATION CASES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 29 May 1930, Page 3

COMPENSATION CASES

DELAYS IN HEARING (By Telegraph—Press Association) WESTPORT, 27th May. When the Court of Arbitration commenced its sitting to-day, Mr P. J. O'Regan referred to the fact that it was nearly a year since the Court had sat at Westport, and in consequence a number of injured men had been kept waiting for the disposal of their cases. In other centres there was dissatisfaction owing to the infrequent sittings of the Court and the grave hardship and injustice to injured workers who had claims pending. Counsel made it clear' that no reflection on the Court was intended, nor did he blame the employers for stopping weekly payments on the advice of medical experts. The remedy was to relieve the Court of jurisdiction in industrial cases, thus enabling it to devote its whole time to accident cases. He was certain that a large proportion of such cases would always have to be litigated, as it was not possible to settle more than a limited number by agreement. Accordingly he took the opportunity, by the Court's permission, to impress on the public and upon the Government that the alteration ii dilated was urgently required. Mr LoveU, who was appearing for the employers in a number of cases, supported Mr O'Regan's remarks. Air Justice Frazer, in replying, said (hat the Court, while anxious to get through the work as expeditiously as possible, had found itself unable to cope with the work on account of tlie increasing number of compensation cases. Accordingly, he suggested that counsel should make representations in the proper quarter.