§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he aware that some claimants to unemployment benefit who have received the intimation contained in Form U.I. 130 that their case has been set down for consideration at a particular sitting of the Court of Referees may desire to be present to protect their interests, although not requested by the chairman to attend, but may be unable to do so except at a sacrifice of working time and money if then in employment; and will he consider the desirability, particularly where the claim is allowed by the Court, of allowing reasonable expenses in respect of such attendance, as in cases where the claimant is requested by the Court to attend?
Mr. ROBERTSONIf the workman attends the sitting of the Court without being requested to do so, expenses are allowed to him on the usual scale if the chairman decides that his evidence was necessary for the proper determination of the appeal. I think that this provision fully meets the requirements of the case, in view of the fact that it is the practice to request the workman to attend if it appears either before or at a sitting that his evidence is necessary.