§ MR. BOTTOMLEY (Hackney, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a recent ease heard in the City of London Court, in which a printer who had sustained serious injuries in the course of his trade was disqualified for compensation on the ground that the premises on which he was working at the time were a portion of a factory hired temporarily by his employers from another firm occupying it; that the Judge said he was very sorry for the plaintiff', but there was no course open to him except to find for the defendants with costs; and whether he will consider the desirableness of amending the Workmen's Compensation Act so as to cover such a case.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. GLADSTONE, Leeds, W.)I have seen the new paper report of the case which the hon. Member has been good enough to send me. The point is met by the amending and consolidating Act of last session, which comes into force on the 1st July. Under that Act workmen will no longer be debarred from recovering compensation from employers on the ground indicated in the Question.
§ MR. H. J. TENNANT (Berwickshire)Does the fact that the premises were only temporarily hired constitute good ground for the refusal of compensation?
§ MR. GLADSTONEI am afraid I cannot answer that question.