New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-05-05
COMPENSATION BILL
ADOPTED BY HOUSE
New Measure Excludes Employers
Of Less Than Five.

Representatives this afternoon adopt
ed without opposition the new work
mems compensation bill. In this
measure employers of less than five
persons are specifically exempted un-
less they choose to accept the law
The bill was the order Of the day
in the house. Consideration at the
outset was on various amendments to
the bill which were filled by MEM
'bers last week. The first amendment
offered by Mr.. Davidson of Bethany
would have exempted farmers in the
busy L season! even if they employed
more than FIVE persons This was
rejected. .sg.
Mr.. Spencer of suffield by request,
offered an amendment to take away
from the commissioners the power to
sopensup cases for the purpose of m obi
frying or making new awards. This
was rejected
Mr.. German of Danbury proposed
to make compensation in cases of
dependency Sc 2-3 per cent, instead
of so per cent, as provided in the bill.
This was rejected.
Hewes' Amendment
Mr.. Hewes of Pennington offered a
long and technical amendment MAX
ing many changes throughout the bill
to meet certain conditions which have
been developed in the operation of
the present law. Mr.. Hyde, the ma
jcrity leader, said that as he under
stood these changes had been sub
mitted to the compensation commits
sioner for the first district and had
met with his approved he saw no
objection to adoption of the amend
ment. Mr.. Hewes explained that some
OF the changes had been. submitted
to the commissioner and were ap-
proved by him. To Mr.. FELTON, of
Clinton, Mr.. Hewes said that there is
nothing in the bill to place liability
upon any employer of less than five
persons.
Tracy Amendment.
Mr.. Tracy Of Derby offered an
amendment to change the interval be-
tween injury and payment OF conpen-
sation from ten to seven days. Mr..
Hyde said the seven day period was
considered by the committee and re-
iected, as it was felt that compensa-
ton claims would be more than
doubled by shortening the period.
The amendment was reJecred.
An amendment suggested by the
board of control providing for print.
ing of a digest of operations rather.
than the full operations was adopted.
Mr.. Back of Killingly offered an
amendment, which was adopted. max
ing the bill apply to actions between
employers and employees, now pending
in the courts. n
Mr.. Hall Of Wellington had an
i. \ ,J,,
office of the second district from. Will
iimantic to Norwich.
Mr.. Hyde gave a gencrai explana-
ton of the bill, emphasizing the
point that employers Of less than five
persons are exempt unless they speci-
fically give notice of their desire to be
under the law. Each section was
analysed by Mr.. Hyde, and the
changes from the present Jaw pointed
out. The bill as amended was then
adopted without a dissenting voice.
Trade schools in Senate.
The order of the day in the senate
was the bill providing for establish
ment of day and night trade schools
making them obligatory in towns of
$500 or more and optional in towns
esta blished for children over fourteen
and under eighteen years of age.
Senator futile made a long adj
drss upon the bill saying that most
of the children are in need of voca =
tional education more than they are
of an ordinary high school education.
Senator Magee offered an amend
nnent striking out intersections be-k
cause he saw no reason why these
towns should come under state ap-
propriaMons for trade schools, until
they come up to the standard trade
schools. The amendment was adopted
p to s.
Senator Wilton offered an amend
ment adding vocational schools to
trade schools in tho bill as amended
but Senator Magee thought it was
only another effort to open the door
to the treasury. The amendment.
however, was adopted, and the bill
as amended was passed.
Other senate matters adopted were
those authorizing the state park corn :
missioners to condemn land for parlS
purposes and extending to December
/, 1916 the time in which the Nor
witch, Colchester and Hartford Trac-
ton company may construct it's
tracts.
Contract Labor at Prison.
A bill to abolish contract labor at
the state prison was reported to the
house by the labor committee. It
provides that contract labor shall ter
inmate at the expiration of contracts
low in force, and occupation of in
mates, SO far as practica BILE, shall be
chosen to yield service material equip
Inent, furniture or supplies required
oy the state or departments, counties,
towns, cities, boroughs, school dis
tricts or public institutions when such
can be supplied at the market price