INSURANCE OF AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS 5 1 



§ 2. Foundation of " landbouw- onderlingk." 



Preparatory Action. — Without waiting, however, for legislation, 

 the Dutch farmers, have already on their own account, founded an accident 

 insurance society for the benefit of their labourers, and in a few years it has 

 made very brilliant progress and is constantly extending its field. 



The law of 1901 on accidents had for the first time drawn the atten- 

 tion of the farmers to the question whether an agricultural accident in- 

 surance society would be desirable and what form would be best adapted to 

 the special needs and conditions of agriculture. Later on, since 1904, 

 almost aU the large agricultural and viticultural associations have expressed 

 their opinion on the matter, in their discussions and resolutions. A year 

 before the publication of the 1905 bill, the Dutch Agricultural Committee 

 {N ederlandsch Landhouw-Comitc) pronounced itself in favour of the introduc- 

 tion of compulsory agricultural accident insurance, and inigoS the same 

 Committee decided to invite the Government to present a new bill ; at the 

 same time it expressed its desire that the law should limit itself to 

 making insurance compulsory, leaving the farmers free except as regards 

 the necessary precautions to be taken, in respect to the manner in which 

 the insurance should be arranged. After this great organization of agri- 

 cultural societies, in 1906, also the Dutch Peasants' League {Nederlandsche 

 Boerenhond) pronounced in favour of accident insurance and in 1907 a 

 collective address was presented to the Chamber by various rural asso- 

 ciations. 



Yet, convinced that they wotild have no success in influencing the 

 Government, while they limited themselves to a statement of principle, 

 but that it was necessary to approach it with definite and well thought 

 out proposals, so as to solve the problem in a manner answering to the 

 conditions of agricultural industry, a group of important agricultural 

 societies, and amongst them peasants' unions founded, on June 8th., 1907, 

 a permanent committee to study the question of agricultural accident 

 insurance on mutual principles. This committee came to the conclusion 

 that it would be best for the farmers direct^ to undertake the charge of 

 the business in question, while they had still the time, with all possible energy. 

 On November 3rd., 1908, the permanent committee decided to start a vol- 

 untary^ accident insurance society on mutual principles. 



For a moment, a union with the horticulturists was contemplated, as 

 amongst them a similar movement had manifested itself and has made 

 progress. But, on more mature consideration, it was decided to work se- 

 parately. Because, as is natural, it was desired to found the new agri- 

 cultural organizations on the basis of those already existing: and agri- 

 culture in Holland as a rule is organized by provinces, while horticul- 

 ture, in view of its special conditions, has an organization rather of local cha- 

 racter. Besides, a joint organization did not seem advisable in \new of 

 the difference of risks in horticulture and agriculture. So they have each 

 founded their separate organizations, although on the same principles. 



