Workers' Compensation Act Amendment Act 1939 (WA)

No. 35.] Workers' Compensation. [1939..

WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

3° and 4° GEO. VI., No. XXXV.

No. 35 of 1939.

AN ACT to amend the Workers' Compensation

Act, 1912-1938.

[Assented to 16th December, 19391

RE it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty,.

by and with the advice and consent of the Legis- lative Council and Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Short title, 1. This Act may be cited as the [Yorkers' Compensa-

cf. No. 50 of	inss tie i t) L ion Act Amendment Act, 1939, and shall be read as one with the Workers' Compensation Act, 1912-1938 (No. 69 of 1912 as reprinted in the Appendix to the Sessional Volume of Statutes for the year 1937 and amended by Act No. 5 of 1938), hereinafter referred to as the prin- cipal Act.
NOci sections 10A and 10B 2. New sections are inserted in the principal Act after
in-,erted in
principal Act. section ten as follows:--

10A. (1) Every incorporated insurance office,

which has received the approval of the Minister

under the provisions of section ten shall within

1939.] Workers' Compensation. [No. 35.

thirty days from the commencement of this section transmit to the Minister a statement showing the names, addresses, and occupations of each employer who had hi force at the date of the commencement of this section a policy or contract of insurance with that insurance office against liability under this Act.

(2) Every such insurance office shall within four- teen days from the end of the first clear calendar month after the commencement of this section, and thereafter within fourteen days from the end of each succeeding calendar month, transmit to the Min- ister

(a)	a statement showing the names, addresses, and occupations of each employer who has during the month in question effected a policy or contract of insurance with the in- surance office concerned against liability under this Act; and
(b)	a statement showing the names, addresses, and occupations of each employer hi respect of whom the insurance office concerned has during the month in question marked in its books as lapsed a policy of insurance under this Act.

(3) Every such statement shall be signed by a

responsible officer of the insurance office concerned.

(4) No person, except with the express authority of the Minister, shall have access to, inspect, or peruse any such statement aforesaid, and the in- formation contained therein shall be treated as :strictly confidential and shall not, except for the pur- poses of this Act, be disclosed to any person. Any person who discloses any information contrary to the provisions of this section shall be guilty of an offence against this Act.

Penalty: One hundred pounds.

(5) If any statement required by this section is false in any particular to the knowledge of any per- son who signs the same, such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and being convicted thereof,

No. 35.] Workers' Compensation. [1939-

shall be liable, at the discretion of the court, to be- imprisoned for any term not exceeding one year, or to a penalty not exceeding one hundred pounds.

10B. (1) Any person authorised in writing by the Minister in that behalf may make such inquiry from any employer whose name does not appear in_ any statement required under section ten A (1) or ten A (2) (a) or whose name does appear on any statement required under section ten A (2) (b) (unless in the latter case the employer's name appears in any statement required under section ten A (2) (a)), as may be necessary, to ascertain whether any such employer has obtained a policy of insurance as required by the provisions of sec- tion ten.

(2) Every person authorised by the Minister under the provisions of this section shall produce his written authority from the Minister, when inter- rogating any such employer in the execution of his duties under tins Act.

(3) Every person aforesaid shall, before entering on the performance of his duties under this Act, take and subscribe before a justice of the peace an oath or affirmation to the effect that he will not,

except for the purposes of this Act and the exercise

of his duties hereunder, disclose to any person any information acquired by him in his official capacity, and every person who wilfully acts in contravention shall be guilty of an offence against this Act.

Penalty: One hundred pounds.

(4) Any person who obstructs, hinders, prevents,

or interferes with any person so authorised in the

exercise of the powers conferred upon him by this

section, or who refuses or fails to produce for the inspection of any person so authorised as aforesaid any policy or contract of insurance when requested by such person, and obliged under this section so to do, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act.

Penalty: One hundred pounds.

Citation of

principal Act 3. The principal Act as amended by this Act may be

as amended. cited as the Workers' Compensation Act, 1912-1939.