COMPENSATION FOR ACCIDENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18598, 20 June 1930, Page 10

COMPENSATION FOR ACCIDENTS

REPORT OF ROYAL COMMISSION. EXTENSION OF ACT PROPOSED. By Telegraph— Association. WELLINGTON, June 19. Important alterations in the existing law are recommended in the report available this afternoon by the Minister of Labour, Hon. S. G. Smith, of the Royal Commission, which inquired into the operation of the Workers’ Compensation Act. The principal recommendations are as follows: (1) Establishment of a separate Workers’ Compensation Court, similar in constitution to the Arbitration Court. (2) Insurance to be compulsory on employers, and wage statements to be supported by statutory declaration. (3) Where a dependant is not a resident of New Zealand, the principle of reciprocity to be incorporated in the Act, as laid down in Ontario. (4) In the calculation of compensation, the principle of providing for dependency to be introduced. (5) An increase from £3OO to £SOO in the minimum payment in case of death. (6) In claims for damages for nonfatal injuries arising out of negligence of a fellow-servant, the maximum liability to be increased from £IOOO to £1250. (7) 100 per cent, compensation , for loss of an only eye, less the amount already paid for loss of sight, and compensation for partial loss of sight in excess of 50 per cent. (8) Allowance up to £25 for medical, surgical and hospital treatment, including first aid. (9) Compensation not to be a disqualification for old age or widows’ pensions. (10) The adaption of the principle of the English Act in regard to industrial diseases, and additional diseases to be added. The Commission recommends also that the scope of the Act be extended to include persons employed otherwise than by manual labour, whose remuneration reaches £520 a year, instead of the present limit of £400; that the definition of the term “worker” be enlarged to include share-milkers; that the Act should also cover workers such as taxi-drivers operating on a commission basis, and casual workers employed not for purpose of any trade or business carried on by employers (with three days qualification) ; and that the Judge shall have discretionary power to deal with claims whre employment is technically “illegal.” “In view of the evidence submitted by the employers’ representatives,” the Commissioner states, “we are not unanimously agreed that all more highly-rated industries are at present in a position to beaf the cost of the improved beenfits we recommend, but we ,are agreed that from the social and humanitarian point of view, the amendments suggested are desirable.” The additional diseases recommended to be included in the scope of the Act are miners’ beatknee, beathand, beatelbow, nystagmust demaritis; diseases arising out of the handling of basic slag, ulcerations arising out of handling of tar, pitch, bitumen, mineral oil or paraffin. It is also proposed, in this connection, to amend the Act to enforce liability upon any employer, unless the disease is not due in whole or in part to the employment of the worker while in his service. The Commissioners consider that no compensation should be paid unless the worker has been resident in New Zealand for a period of two years next preceding the date of his first disability, except where the Court is satisfied that the disease is not due to other causes than his employment in New Zealand. A monopoly of workers’ compensation insurance has often been advocated in the House of Representatives particularly by members of the Labour Party. The Commission expresses the opinion that the establishment of such a monopoly would be a doubtful experiment in New Zealand at present and says it would not be warranted by possible savings in the cost