COMPENSATION CASES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20596, 21 June 1930, Page 16

COMPENSATION CASES.

SEPARATE COURT PROPOSAL*

VIEW OF BARRISTERS.

STUDYING POPULAR OPINION-

[by telegraph.—own correspondent.] WELLINGTON, Friday.

Tho opinion of Mr. P. J. O'Regan, a barrister of much experience in compensation cases, on the report of the Royal Commission on tho Workers' Compensation Act, is that it is absolutely necessary to havo a separate Court. On tho question of the hearing of cases by tho Supreme Court, he said he had no doubt whatever that tho Supreme Court could do so, but regard must be had to popular feeling. Public opinion had become habituated to tho Court of Arbitration and tho tribunal was popular with tho masses of tho people, in that it approximated to a Judge and jury. Ono serious objection which could be urged against compensation cases being remitted to tho Supremo Court was that, in connection with claims by injured men against employers, the jury system in effect had been virtually abolished sinco 1924. -It camo somewhat as a shock to find that, such a drastic derogation from long-standing popular rights should bo made by Order-in-Council and he was quite satisfied that the last had by no means been hoard of the matter.

Then there was the qdestion of costs. The scale in the Court of Arbitration was considerably less than that in the Supreme Court. Finally, there was the fact that in other countries claims by injured men in respect to accidents were heard by a separato tribunal. Mr. H. F. O'Leary, another experipericnced barrister, said he thought the establishment of a separate Workers' Compensation Court would meet with tlio approval of the majority of solicitors who recognised that the Arbitration Court was overworked, but thought it was advisable that the work of dealing with compensation cases should be separate from that of the Supreme Court.