44 Ga. App. 147 | Ga. Ct. App. | 1931
We first held in this case that the decedent who was employed as a woods-rider in a turpentine business was a “farm laborer” within the meaning of the section of the workmen’s compensation act excluding certain classes of employees from its provisions. We later granted a rehearing, and the case is still before us. After continued and painstaking research and deliberation, we have now reached a contrary conclusion, and will hold that the decedent was not a farm laborer within the meaning of the statute. Many decisions and statutes have been examined, but this opinion will be limited to a discussion of the very few authorities that we deem to be directly in point.
In Griffith v. Hulion, 90 Fla. 582 (4), 589 (107 So. 354), the Supreme Court of Florida, in construing section 3506 of the Revised General Statutes of Florida, which provided for a lien “in favor of any person performing any labor in, or managing, or overseeing the cultivation or harvesting of crops,” held that this statute was enacted for the benefit of agricultural laborers, their managers or overseers, and did not embrace persons engaged in
The Federal courts have held that the turpentine business is not “agriculture.” United States v. Waters-Pierce Oil Co., 196 Fed. 767; Union Naval Stores Co. v. United States, 240 U. S. 284 (36 Sup. Ct. 308, 60 L. ed. 644). The rule that the compensation act shall be liberally construed applies in determining whether a particular employment is within its provisions. New Amsterdam Casualty Co. v. Sumrell, supra; Johnson v. Wisconsin Lumber &c. Co., (Wis.) 334 N. W. 506, 72 A. L. R. 1279.
The other rulings in the headnotes do not require elaboration.
Judgment reversed.