NATIONAL SICK AND ACCIDENT FUND.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12460, 9 February 1909, Page 3

NATIONAL SICK AND ACCIDENT FUND.

PROPOSAL BY MR GUINNESS, ■ ■ ' m.p. ■ ri ;,v ;. ■■;. ■;■ [United Pbess AssooiAnoN.] I ' . Reeftbn, Feb. 8.; Mr Guinness, M.Pi for the Grey, addressed the miners on Saturday addressed the miners at length on Saturday night on his proposed insurance scheme. His proposal "was to found -a national sick and accident , fund, providing that each ■ worker, if incapacitated for any reason to receive half wages during the time of the incapacity, and in case of death, either £500 as now, or if a board to be set up, and it ,'considered better, 12s per week to the widow and 4s to the children, till the one is married, and the other has arrived at the age of 16. Contributions to this end should be proportionately shared by the employer and the employee, the latter being insured for all hours in the 24 in a day, and from every ailment, sickness, disease, or accident ; not as now, for the working hours only. . The Government, as it would be assisted by the diminished expenditure on charitable aid, should assist. The Post Office would be the . collecting agency, and the medical examiner's certificate the sole voucher. The employers, instead of paying in advance as now to the insurance companies, would pay_ a percentage on the wages paid, and would be empowered to ' deduct the workers' contribution, say. a fourth, from their, wages.. No medical examination would he required, and no uegal proceedings would be necessary. The Workers' Compensation Act would be repealed, and this proposal ■would take its place. : Considerable discussion took # place, but generally the miners were' in favour of some such scheme.