A.—6a

276

WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION COMMITTEE. The constitution of the Committee was as follows :— The Right Hon. W. C. Bridgeman, M.P., Secretary of State for Home Affairs; The Most Hon. the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, K.G., G.C.5.1., G.C.1.E., Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (or his representative); His Grace the Duke of Devonshire, K.G., P.C., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.0., Secretary of State for the Colonies (or his-representative) ; Mr. G. E. Bake:r, Mercantile Marine Department. Board of Trade ; The Hon. Sir Lomer Gouin, K.C.M.G., and Mr. R. H. Coats, 8.A., F.S.S., Canada ; Senator the Hem. R. V. Wilson, Honorary Minister in charge of Departments of Health and Migration, Commonwealth of Australia ; The, Hon. Sir James Allen, X.C.8., High Commissioner for New Zealand ; The: Hon. N. J. de Wet, K.C., Minister of Justice, and Mr. W. J. O'Brien, Union of South Africa ; Mr. E. J. Riordan, Secretary to Trade and Shipping Department, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Irish Free State ; The Hon. Sir Patrick T. McGrath, K.8.E., Newfoundland ; Sir E. M. Cook, C.5.1., CLE., India ; Sir Gilbert Grindle, K.C.M.G., C.8., Assistant Uneler-Sceretary of State fori Colonies tho Colonies; [ and Mr. H. G. Bushe, Assistant Legal Adviser to the Colonial. Office. 1 Protectorates. Mr. C. M. Knowles, Home Office, and Major R. McK. Oakley, Comptroller-General of Customs, Commonwealth of Australia, acted as Joint Secretaries to the Committee. REPORT. The Workmen's Compensation Committee appointed by the Imperial Economic, Conference at its meeting on Tuesday, the 16th October, 1923, "to consider the desirability of a common Empire policy as regards the regime applicable under the workmen's compensation laws to non-resident workmen, to seamen, and to the nationals of foreign countries according as reciprocity is or is not given by the latter," submit their report as follows : — The Committee have prepared the following resolutions, which they suggest should be submitted, for adoption by plenary meetings of the Imperial Economic, Conference. Resolution I. Non-resident Workmen. The Committee recommend the adoption by the Imperial Economic Conference of the following resolution : — That the Conference, taking note of the existing restrictions in the workmen's compensation laws of certain parts of the British Empire em the payment of benefits to workmen and their dependants on the ground of non-residence in the State in which the accident happened, and having regard to the tendency of such, restrictions to discourage movement within the Empire, is of opinion that no British subject who is permanently incapacitated, and no dependant of a British subject who has been killed, by accident due to his employment in any part of the Empire should be excluded from any benefit to which he would otherwise be entitled uneler the workmen's compensation law of that part of the Empire on the ground of his removal to or residence in another part of the Empire. Resolution 11. Seamen. The Committee recommend the adoption by the Imperial Economic Conference of the following resolution ;— That the Conference, having had its attention drawn to cases where British sailors injured by accident while serving on ships registered in some part of the Empire have had no claim to compensation owing to the law of that part of the Empire being restricted, in its application to seamen, to accidents occurring within territorial waters or other limited area, is of opinion that the Government of any such part of the Empire should, ensure that the benefits of its compensation law will extend to all accidents to seamen serving on ships registered within such part of the Empire wherever the ship may be when the accident takes place. And, furthermore, tho Conference invites tho Government of any British colony or protectorate where there is a register of shipping but where legislation giving compensation rights to seamen does not at present exist to consieler the adoption of such legislation. Resolution 111. Aliens. The Committee recommend the adoption by the Imperial Economic Conference of the following resolution: — That the Conference, taking note of the disabilities imposed under the workmen's compensation laws of certain foreign countries on British subjects residing in those countries and their dependants, invites each Government of the Empire, regard being had to its own particular conditions, to consieler the possibility of adopting in workmen's compensation legislation the principle of reciprocity—that