INSURING THE WORKER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14203, 28 October 1909, Page 6

INSURING THE WORKER.

A NATIONAL SCHEME. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] .. . ~ „i ...... - _ ' .■■■ - -" ' _ , '.; Wellington, 'Wednesday. The Hon. A. R. Guinness, M.P., at« tended the Trades and Labour Conference to-day, and pjaced before delegates his scheme for national sick and accident in- . surance. In the course of his explanation of the .scheme, which was well' received by delegates, Mr. Guinness said that his object was to meet the many contingencies and accidents to which the worker, especially the miner, was liable, He pointed out that under the original Workers' Compensation Act, compensation was only payable if the worker met with ail acei-l dent which disabled him or from which,? he died. Last suasion a further' provision. was made to meet- certain i diseases, sucks as miners' .npjainfc. The worker was. not covered for any period of the 24 hours, except during the time ' that he was engaged at his work. For the benefits con-; i'erred by the Acts, the employers were; made wholly responsible, and therefore ' generally had recourse to the accident insurance companies, to insure them against liability. Insurance companies had profited greatly. Taking the- New: Zealand Accident. Insurance Company and the Ocean Accident Insurance Company and the Government Insurance, the speaker showed that the excess of revenue over expenditure for the years 1906 and 1907. was no less than • £122,231. Mr. Guinness sug- * gested- that all this revenue shoujd be paid into a State sick and accident fund, to be administered by the Public Trustee and a special board appointed for the purpose, having, of course, proper representation of employers and' employed. "The scheme, he contended, would give greater benefits to the worker than at present received, as he would receive halt* wages during the time that he was incapacitated from work, even though, the incapacity lasted for only a day or"two. The worker would air,.-} be covered for the who,'© 24 hours. Litigation would be done away with, as the board would pay on the medical certificate of the Government's appointed medical officers. The workers would; pay one-fourth' of the "premiums, and the employers three-fourths. The Workers' Compensation Act would be repealed. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Guinness. Copies of the Bill, embodying the scheme, were handed round, and the whole matter wijl come up for discussion to-morrow morning, on a remit from Auckland approving of the scheme.' /' •• •