RAILWAY DEATH ROLL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8186, 30 July 1912, Page 4

RAILWAY DEATH ROLL

CANADA'S DREADFUL TALLY. The annual report of the Canadian Labor Department for the year ending March 31st, 1911, has some interesting figures dealing with the industrial life of the Dominion. Among others a statement is. presented to Parliament by the Minister of Labor showing the number of railway servants killed and injured; in Canada during three years. Accord-i ing to the figures supplied by the Minister the number killed in. three years' was 633, and the number injured 3134, making a total of 3767 fatal and nonfatal accidents in this period. In other, words, of the 19,443 trainmen in Canada in 1909, one out of every 172 was killed and one out of every 28 injured. The Minister in his report stated, "Reference has been, made to the, fact that com-

pensation for industrial accidents was only obtained as a result of civil action. It was worth while considering whet her there was not a necessity for remedying this circumstance. Wo cun say with certainty at this moment that a year hence, another 2000 lives will bo swept off the 1 list of workers in Canada, and in an. other two years there will bo 20,000 men whoso industrial efficiency will bo permanently impaired as a consequence of tho callings in wliich they are engaged. Wo know that loss of life is ima. dental to a calling itself. If that is so, dot's it not appear that in some way the industry itself should bo made to bean what is inevitable to it? Take tho case of a railway' company: with its cars — they allow so much for broken cars or for repairing damage done to cars. I am just throwing out the suggestion because it is a largo subject, and it would inyolvo much consideration before anything in the shape of legislation could bo based upon it. but is it not worth considering whether human life is not entitled to the same amount of protection as is afforded to the rolling stock, and whether in some way tho industry' could not bo made to bear part of tho coat of Its inevitable loss of life and limb, with the result that those who arc left behind shall not in consequence of tho death of tho wago-ea mcr he put in tho position that in order to got some compensation for tho loss of his life, they must enter upon litigation, and add to the distress they already have to boar? These are the points which I would like to make, because they are points which are attracting considerable attention among tho industrial workers of the country, and having regard for the conservation of human life for the upbuilding of tho strength of the nation as a whole, too much attention cannot be given to a very serious aspect of this Very serious question." The debate was adjourned and nothing was done. Tho railways ax© privately owned.