WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20597, 23 June 1930, Page 11

WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

CRITICISM OF REPORT.

VIEWS OF MR. T. O. BISHOP. | [BY TELEGRAM- —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Saturday. "If the report bears evidence of any one striking fault it is that perhaps too much weight has been given to social and sentimental appeals and insufficient weight to the practical aspect of some of the proposals advanced," said the secretary of the New Zealand Employers' Federation, Mr. T. 0. Bishop, when asked his .opinions upon the finding of the Royal Commission upon the operation of the Workers' Compensation Act. "After all," continued Mr. Bishop, "that is a weakness to which we are all somewhat liable in these days and probably large numbers of employers will agree with the following paragraph which appears at the foot of page 6 of the re-, port: 'We are not unanimously agreed that all the more highly-rated industries are at present in a position to bear the cost of the improved benefits, as recommended by this commission, but we are agreed that from a social and humanitarian point of view the amendments suggested are desirable.' "If all the recommendations in the report were carried out it is apparent that a very substantial increase in the cost to employers, probably 50 per cent., would result. I differ from the commission in that I say. definitely that the more highlyrated industries, coalmining, goldmining, quarrying, sawmilling, meat-freezing and some others, are not able to bear the cost of the improved benefits, as recommended by the commission. "My personal opinion is that the establishment- of a separate Court,would benefit both employers and workers sufficiently to justify it. "The recommendation that the maximum sum obtainable by action for damages in ense of injury due to the negligence of a fellow servant be increased to £1250, is one I am entirely opposed to, because it is wrong in principle and is particularly open to abuse. "One conclusion to l>e drawn from the report is that., with the possible exception of the setting up of the separate Court, there is no urgent need behind any of the recommendations made. Even those, to use the words of the commission, which are desirable from a social viewpoint, may be held over until more prosperous times. "The greater the tax upon industry for the purpose of providing increased social service, the less will industry be able to absorb unemployed workers," concluded Mr. Bishop.