23. Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether a law for workmen's compensation exists in Sierra Leone; whether he has any information regarding a recent case in which only £7 10s. was paid as compensation in respect to the death of a deck labourer from accident on board a ship plying on the West African coast; and can he give the name of the shipping company concerned?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreThere is at present no general workmen's compensation legislation in Sierra Leone. The draft of the comprehensive Workmen's Compensation Ordinance for the Colonial Dependencies in East and West Africa to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member of 11th February, 1937, has been sent to the Government of Sierra Leone with a view to legislation being enacted as speedily as possible. I have no information regarding the case referred to in the second part of the question, but I will make inquiries.
Mr. Creech JonesIn view of the industrial development in Sierra Leone, will the right hon. Gentleman make special representations that there should be a satisfactory and adequate workmen's compensation law there?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreYes. I have given instructions that, in view of the rapid expansion of the iron mining industry in Sierra Leone, there should be a comprehensive review, not only on this matter, of the labour interests that are likely to arise.
§ Mr. George GriffithsWhat was this £7 10s. compensation paid for?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI do not know.
§ Mr. GriffithsIt was paid to the widow, I suppose, for 12 months.