§ MR. PROVANDI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to a letter, dated 27th November, 1899, "from the Secretary of State for the Colonies relating to the Workmen's Compensation Act of 1897, in which he said that when the Act was passed he certainly had no idea that pieceworkers or casual labourers, if engaged in bon^a fide employment, could or would be excluded from the benefits of the measure; and whether, having regard to the above statements, he will introduce a short Bill this session to amend the Workmen's Compensation Act, and bring within its scope casual labourers and pieceworkers.
§ *SIR M. WHITE RIDLEYYes, Sir. I have seen a copy of the letter of my right hon. friend. I will only add that it has not yet been decided authoritatively that casual labourers are excluded from the benefits of the Act, and that I have no doubt that pieceworkers in regular employment are fully within its provisions. I have 84 already stated more than once that in any case the Government does not see its way to legislation on the subject at the present moment.
§ MR. PROVANDBut is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the relatives of a casual labourer are not likely to be in a position to carry a case to the Appeal Courts?
§ *SIR M. WHITE RIDLEYI believe that only one county court judge has given an adverse decision.