SEAMEN AND WAR RISKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16895, 6 July 1918, Page 8

SEAMEN AND WAR RISKS

QUESTION OF COMPENSATION

THE BOARD OF TRADE SCHEME.

Tire participation by dependants of officers and men of tho mercantile marine who lose their lives as a result of enemy action in any scheme of pensions granted . by the Government to tho dependants of naval men, was again strongly advocated by speakers at a meeting of the Wimmera Relief Fund Committee yesterday. The, committeo considers it a part of its duty to look after tho interests of tho dependants of the officers and members of the crow lost in the Wimmera, and it was decided to wait upon the Acting-Prime Minister, Sir James Allen, to urge that the Government should adopt a scneme ol pensions for the benelit ol dependants of men of the mercantile marine who are lost at sea, .killed or incapacitated by reason of enemy activity. Writing in rcierence to the previous resolution by tho committee, Captain F. lA. Mcindoe, secretary of the Merchant : Service Guild, states that about September, 1917, tho guild approached the Government, and in support of its request that some compensation should bo arranged, placed before it information regarding the Imperial scheme. An inquiry was addressed to tho High Commissioner, and the following reply, dated December 17, 1917, was received:— "The Board of Tiado compensation scheme for death and injury of officers and seamen on merchant vessels applies to all British ships wherever registered. It therefore covers New Zealand ships as well as ships registered in tho United Kingdom. The scheme has been, in force since early in 1915, and compensation has been paid already in- respect to Dominion and colonial ships. 1 am forwarding purticuj lars by mail but officers and men can be definitely assured that they are covered ] by the 'imperial Government scheme, i "The scheme gives merchant vessels ; exactly the same scale of compensation as is granted in the cafe of fleet auxiliaries. It is administered by the War Risks Association, on behalf of and under the supervision of tho Board of Trade. The greater part of the cost is borne by Imperial funds. Tho amount of compensation varies with tho pay of the rating concerned at pre-war rates. In the case of death a widow gets roughly one-third of tho pre-war rate of pay of her husband's rank and about one-twenty-fourth for each child."