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for any hope of general uniformity being secured throughout the Empire. There were, however, a few points, especially in regard to non-resident workmen, to alien workmen, and to seamen, where some uniformity of practice could be arrived at, so that, at any rate, within the British Empire there should be similarity of treatment for non-residents and seamen, and also similarity of treatment for foreign workers where other countries reciprocated. Resolution receives General Support. Sir Lomer Gouin, saiel that Canada was fairly well advanced in legislation on that point. Some Provinces had legislated with regard to compensation to non-residents and others were now investigating the matter. He agreed that the question should be referred to a Committee. Senator Wilson agreed that it was a Committee matter. Mr. Massey also agreed to the question being referred to a Committee. In New Zealand he thought they had alreaely arranged for reciprocity in the matter of workmen's compensation as between the Uniteel Kingdom and New Zealand, and as between New Zealand and Queensland and Western Australia, and what had been done they were quite willing to apply to other Empire countries. Mr. Burton, Sir Marmaduke Winter, and Mr. Innes also agreed to tho appointment of a Committee ; Mr. Innes observing that the Indian Act already provided for payment of compensation to workmen who were not resident in India, and that the Government of India would welcome either the abolition in other parts of the Empire of restrictions on the payment of compensation in such cases or reciprocal treatment. The Committee was appointed accordingly, and reported on the 6th November (see page 276). The report was discussed by the full Conference at their Twenty-second Meeting, held on Thursday, the Bth November, 1923. The Recommendations of. the Committee. Mr. Bridgeman said that he had put before the Committee three resolutions, over which they had found themselves largely in agreement, and especially over two (Nos. I and II of the Committee's report) relating to non-residents and seamen. With regard to the third, which dealt with the question of reciprocity in cases of foreign workers, there had not been sufficient agreement to justify the Committee in doing more than asking the different Governments to consider the possibility of adopting the proposals. With regard to the other two, a direct invitation had been given to the Governments to take action, subject to a proviso in which attention was called to the fact that in some Dominions workmen's compensation falls within the Provincial or State jurisdiction, and outside the control of the Dominion. Government. Mr. Graham said that Canada's workmen's compensation legislation came almost solely within the jurisdiction of the Provinces, and he had no objection to the report. He mentioned that the railways had special Acts under Federal jurisdiction. Mr. Bruce said that the question of workmen's compensation was a question for the States, but in view of the, note referred to by Mr. Bridgeman he accepted the resolution. Mr. Massey said that he agreed with tho recommendations, in the direction of which, indeed, New Zealanel had already legislated. He desired, to put on record a communication from the Labour Department in Wellington which set out the relevant provisions of the existing New Zealand Act (Workers' Compensation Act, 1922). Mr. Burton understood that his colleague Mr. De Wet, who was a member of the Committee, was satisfied with the resolutions, except that he had had something to say about the original resolution, which had been modified to meet his views and now appeared as No. 111. Mr. Bridgeman replied that Mr. De Wet had. telephoned to say that the modification which had been made met his point. Mr. Riordan was satisfied with the report and resolutions. Mr. Innes said that the Indian Workmen's Compensation Act was a very recent piece of legislation and had not, in fact, come into operation up to that time. It gave effect to the principle of the first two resolutions they were considering, and, as regards the third resolution, made no distinction according to the nationality of workmen subject to Indian law. India welcomed any action by other countries in the direction of giving equal rights to injured workmen employed in them, but he die! not think it likely that the Indian Act would be amended in order to narrow its scope by introducing the principle of reciprocity. He quite agreed to all the resolutions proposed. Workmen's Compensation impracticable in most Colonies at Present. Sir Gilbert Grindle, speaking on behalf of the colonies and protectorates, accepted the, resolutions, but said that conditions in the greater part of the colonies rendered workmen's compensation quite out of the question at present. He mentioned this so that when the next Conference, came it woulel not be thought that if they had not done anything it was due to lack of good will. They were considering actively the introduction of workmen's compensation in one or two of the older colonies. Resolutions accepted. It was decided that Resolutions I, TI, and 111, recommended for adoption by the Workmen's Compensation Committee of the Conference, be adopted. In adopting these resolutions the Conference noted that, in certain of the Dominions, workmen's compensation falls wholly or partially within Provincial or State jurisdiction, anei is in those cases and to that extent outside the control of the Dominion Government.
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