CRISIS IN THE MINES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 398, 6 January 1909, Page 8

CRISIS IN THE MINES.

HOPE FOR SETTLEMENT.

WEST COAST COLLIERIES INVOLVED.

' .TEST INSISTED ON,

(BY..TELEOBArn—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Reolton, Januarys. Matters are remarkably quiet. Except for

the numbers:of. men. in the streets .'there « is no butward!sign of a deadlock. .Ram is falling/. and is stili further depressing a de- y pressing situation., '■■' s< . The .miners'; at the Caledonian' mine, referred.to last, night, have been allowed to return-to work. Objection was taken, by the union to their working; on account of two. iunidnistsv being included among them. These two. men have/joinedtlie union, and are now. permitted! to work.. , . ■ .The. inining'vCompanies asked the union if 'they would : allow caretakers to; be em- £ ployed over the mines and batteries. . This n request ,was refused. ? :! There Vis nojchange to report:at the gold.baling has been done by the J .managers and .'superintendents. . t :'■ Statistics ; gathered; show-that, over 850 men are .affected. .'Twelve tributers' at the * Golden'.-Fleece; mine are -the only'miners working; ;:A,large number of casual em- ,:. ployees : are riot .required to snbmit to: medi- « cal; examination; still, they did-not resume jj .work.);;: ;.;■':::/;':'..•/ y. '. ~' ,-/ ' '!'!!' ''.'• Circular from State Insurance. b -, The .Government -Insurance Department has issued'' a; 'circular to coal-mine '■ owners in this'■• district.' cancelling 'insurance con- -.', tracts!, -unless., a! medical ..examination, is held ■'-. on - the '.employees 'now working or :to be /■ engaged or're-engaged. The coal-mine owners : here reseiit.'the conditions. No coal-miners' phthisis is prevalent...'-. Tho.coal-mines', com- . bin'atibn'.is, raising, the. price- of coal. -. '.'':' a ■.■..;.";.'■.:■.-..■'"'.• _ ~' . .-. -,:,,. C ; From the Minister for Labour, ; ' ;'■' Interesting'telegraphic communication's' be-' ; tween the .'.'Ministerfor 'Labour: (Mr. Millar), , ;ahd Mr.- P! Ji O'Regan are published in the; j "Inahgahua Times.": " The Minister, in a." ] lengtny:wire,,'s'ays that the.question' of death .( .'is nbtitheionly-thing-to be/provided for.,; The. i suggestion, that. the .Government undertake ) 'the. insurance! practically ''asks the ..Govern- j : meht. ;tb .', give /.a'-' blank;. cheque.:to' cover all • '< ca'sesiof minors':phthisis,at the present.time, .\ as once! compensation; is'guaranteed,'the mo- ' me'nt'any ,sign'. : bf disorder, is, proved: to; exist / the Government will be called on. t'o.'.pay. It.;' ; js; impossible; therefore, for the Government ; to undertake 'an unknown -liability'.,',; "•';..;! . ,; ;. '.The''Minister.regretfed'that.it wonldbeirn-: 'possitiie-'tb'.comply with the request'as to .accepting the insurance: risk. . The: money'and property.'of the/people of! New" Zealand/as/a 'whole.'would require to be:used.for.the'purpose, '.whereas .Parliament' intended; the, minei owner-receiving, the profit ,of the ■ miner's labourtb-indemnify a'mari from injury caused . thVough';a;,disease.incidentdrto.his work. /.; , ; ,'i -Mr.:: Millar/.'saw ;rio 'way:, of, preventing troubleiexcepfr.by both sides waiving the.provisions !bf ; the i.'claiide.-; affecting the ..'question- ■ until -Parliament; meets.', '■ If .tlus.'caimot :;/lje . ■ arranged,' \vhat;.must .be, must' be. The Min- .: ..ister hear of.,'threatened' i, troubleQVentuatingl butthe.Gpyernment.can-, !, 'not.be placed in''afalse position. , iv,,:;!' Mr. O'Regan oh Owners' .'Motives. ( '.-'; '.: " "' In the course of", a reply to :Mr; Millar-; Air." i; O'Regan points out.that there is (? no) lia- >■ bility.uhtil/incapacity. This, must take place,. I; .according .to'.the ; Act, within twelve months '■) after the--contracting of;the.disease. Hence, I'- the blank.cheque iS'Subject to -so'Tnany; en- -, dorsemehts (that'tho/.risk is- absurdly exag-; ;- gerated,:-.;. '.w~ : '-\i. :.■:., V ■"..',- ..,/'/■-■: //•"'r' i'. YvMr:.,o'Regan, alsp'considers; that the. case 3. has not been honestly placed'before the: pub-. -.-'■ lie,': sceingvthat.the-object of the medioafex-, -! 'a'rflina'tiqn.is.toobtain'indemnity for the ovffl-. i>- erXinot!ohly. from ..miner's'disease,.but from. B- 'every'physical defect. This means -that the. t 'Act would be'.'rendered usekssin.the casei'of; 1 "every' man, predisposed-to .injury.: Even:if.: i: .'the, man '.was-'contracted; out. ofi miner's; dis-, - easej-th'e owners would hot. then be, satisfied, - but would demand .a complete indemnity.un- - 17 of :the Act.' -It had yet gone, e : forth;to -the public -that :the'-. difficulty, solely o ;'rests-.,with'miner's complaint. '- -, ••';.:.,: r :' :Mr.:o.'Regan comments strongly on the.Gp- '••' yemraeTit:'lnsurance Department'si-action,'.in V: -demanding medical; examination'of coal-'min-, ■I.; ers, -when ■■ everyone ; ought to know.;- that' '■' miner's phthisis does not 'affect-coal-miners. :■.'.-. ■Indeed/.he: considers that the miners' trouble has beeh:provoked. ..--.;"v.. ' :■.•'., ].. W:\r-

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER

MAY BE PROMPTLY SETTLED.

LEGAL ADVICE BEING OBTAINED

; The ■'.Prim© ■ .Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) has'given,some'attention, to the view .-•'.. ex-pressed'-by R:, Semple (president.-'.of '-.the Miners' ; .. Federation) to-.the effect that it. wquld'.be''almost impossible,'for- a-miner to prove'i> claim: for. pneumoconiosis, as; ■. the claimimus't.be established within; 12, months, 'where'asUri the opinion,of, medical a. man- might' suffer., f rom.tlie disease', for'many :year's- it:;'; The!opinion>*of, the Prime. Minister..iß that, if this, view is correct';'■■ the>;•;present '/deadlock : '.'.may,'- be; quickly-ended.;; The' matter.; will.;be .looked into' furthery-and; in'the .meantime the'.best legal advice.is-being obtained. ■; ..":'"' . ; '.'<' The;. Prime {Minister has sent, the; following' telegram to .Mr'.' Semple at.Reefton:—- -. \"_ . ■"In--'reply.', tq, your -telegram,'.'as., there-is some' of..opinion -as]to'-the .correct ■.interpretationof .'Section lOjof the.-Workefs';. Compehsation : ;Act,; the Government,: in ad-dition'.to'-obtaihihgithe opinion of the Crown, LawT Officers,' are .also'.obtaining an.;;.independent, opinion' on '.the' section. If your viewis .correct, :L think the difficulty can: .bo promptly/settled." '.V :■ -Section-.10.,0f."the Act, referred,to above, deals, wit)i\the'-whole matter of compensa.tion: for .'-. industrial The portion concerning; which there is_ a conflict; of opiriion is 'apparently sub-section;l,;which'states that''•■'■' - : " '■'..'■'—'■."' ■".-.'" .'■■:'■:''■: .--',/-;-','

:.-' "if;.-:.,. ;the. disease is due to'. ..the nature of theemploymentj within 'i'Lthe' twelve : ; months. previous'to the .. date'of: the disablement,'; and. the..,. . incapacity.'or ' death 'of ■'.' tho- worker ; j results,from.the,:disease, compensa-. .;■'. . tion.shall be payable '. \ : ,.\ ■",'- ':.'■'. WORICv STOPPED AT NO-TEST MINES, ■> ' \ * ,!;■ UNION'S ACTION.-' "■;.--,. *; ■ : ' (bT.'TELEGEAPH—PBES3 ASSOCIATION.) ,: i-

Creymouth, January 4.

A party of contractors' men at tho Caledonian United shaft, now being sunk by private enterprise, assisted by Government Bubsidy, were refused permission by the union to work; thouch'rio medical examination was required of them. Hands employed on extension r works at the Globo battery did not. resume, though in their case no medical examination was required. Work' has absolutely stopped at the New > Ulster mine, though three hundred tons of stone, calculated to yieldnoarly, an ounco per ton, are ready to work. Tho manager was the only one there. A DIVIDED UNION. I THAMES ACCEPTS, KARANGAHAKE ■ OJ3JECTS. (by teleoeaph—pbess association.) Thames, January 4. At a largely.attended meoting of the Minors' Onion to-night, it was decided, after lengthy discussion, that the minors undergo moclical examination, provided the companies pay the medical fees involved. Thames,; January 5. A peculiar position has arisen in connection with tho attitude of the' Thames Minors'. Union regaTding medical examination. Last night tho Thames branch decided to submit

;o examination provided the company puid boinf ;ho. medical'fees; while at a meeting held by miss: ;he Karangahake branch-of the union the facto nen decided unanimously not to submit to prov aedical examination.' It will bo necessary to ;ako the votes of both branches in order to iscertain the views of the-union. Many men . it Thames have decided to stick to their com- I rades ; some have gone to. work, having, cer- . lificates; others have resumed in accordance vith the Thames resolution carried last night. • _ [t is possible that those working will be it isked to stop, but it is doubtful if .some will liabi igreo to do so. It is also doubtful if the heav ocal companies, many being struggling con- einpl ;erns, will take the men back without medi- iron :al examination,-as the "Waihi and Talisman cont Companies have dono.: Another point is: If Act; ;he men now working cease, can they bo pro- part sccuted for striking?.®^ tl whic NORTHERN COAL MINES IDLE. c los< ■ - . —. . pre} BIG BUSINESS PARALYSED. "■' (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) inVC . Auckland, January 5. tl' 6 . The: Northern: Coal Company, which pays own. £25,000 yearly in wages and-from £5000 to _ E6OOO in -accident insurance, offered .the son< vhole of the accident insurance to the State iffice, ' The offer was ; whereupon- Dy ;he company decided to. lay up between a iwenty-five and' thirty boats employed • in p iheir business and pay off the m®. To-day ihey/will anchor the. vessels m the stream.' clai The company , contemplates arranging for, supplies of Newcastle coal to provide for the po ieed of their customers. . „ 110I 10 , - Whangaral, January, 5. in c All the miners at Hikurangi and . Kiripaka titli repress their determination to remain .firm wm n- their decision not to. undergo medical - .T examination.'- -. «••}-»•• • . ... '• j .Colonel Holgate, managing director, meets day ;he men to-morrow, but there is small hope insi >f any agreement being come to. no.^ ■ ■ ■ ~ .. ■: : . coil: CASE FOR AUCKLAND OWNERS. thai - The STATE IMPOSES A RISK HICH IT WILL NOT ACCEPT. ■: (BY" TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) fji Auckland, January .o. ; ;is' -1 • The--Northern;Coal Company acci ill its hands,: numbering-nearly 200, andl the- iof ■ iompany's steamers ,will' bo.'.ancnorea--.; on ■:in i not nidstream while the , 'mining' trouble ' con- lng 'iIIUGS. ' ; ■ .the "We are anxious to', see a speedy , Km rient of this difficult problem on a reasonably. tioi jasis for ourselves and : the men, - declared' sen Jr. 11. Aickin, secretary' of° the Northern 1 dea 3oal"' Company,: ..when;' '.to-day/; -UJ 'It is ridiculous," he added, that the Mmisr, the ;er'for Labour- should state that the question; jnij s one 'purely, for settlement;- , between the c o r iwners and the : miners.\ : This is-proved'by, tej •ho fact that • the Government; Insurance- : ( Department; refusesto take any, risk, and abr aid wlutely-declines'to -.quote . a ; price ' for., iremiums. • The f position--is -an .extraordinary that respect. •• The Governmenv -has mposed.this liability on the owners,, and yet surns round and' says the liability is too great < g 6S J or the C; Government Insurance Department. COl • "We,-were not informed by the' insurance companies until just before the Christmas holi-| lavs that,they could not extend cipent jwlicies unless each : man - employed nad-.beeni-.meai- »^. g cally examined; When . this statement was | 0 > made: my . company straightaway. offered their. — bu'sinessto the Goyeniment'Department, but were. informed, that they could not quote any : premiums, and refused % G - :^® ineßS .'' " ail pay., between £25,000. and £30,000 per. year in ; wages, which means that the, company, pays between £500 ana.:£6oo'.,in premiums;;j We have ;no,desire .to close downpour.jpines, but :- ; the .position ;is "forced upon us., .;,The : insur-. i. , ance companies really force us: to take lip this ■ position, and wb would. not be justified in ( con-' v tinning .-under the; conditions, offered. — ;- •• Mr; Aickin further points; out that, in the •••• case of the Northern Coal Cpmpany, 100 men are snow idle at Kiripakaj' and 250 at Hiku- -P rangil . These men refused; to ; submit to.-the "« examination; on Monday.' ,At Kiripaka. they . were willing to request,' but;, • before-the. medical officers could .arrive on* the scene an intimation was - received froni' the. Jlinerß' Federation that they, were not to submit. ". ■ •• .;■•'. : s Asked' if the Northern Coal; Company possessed any' data which woiild : givß. aii' idea to . what extent thoi disdas«> amongst l minors; was likely to existp'Mr. Aickin'Saidut~. was :im-, possible . to say just how' great the - liability, ; ; srould be. The 'insurance'; companies hadj' ho understood,; endeavoured ;to obtain': >i tistics, and ; what the' Result ;: of ' , theirin- 1 : quiries was had not been' made known.' ' The fact'remained, however, that they absolutely, v refused to take the liability. - :■■■■"■ : ■: . ■■,■.■■■ •""'■■■ n PRICE OF COAL IN THE NORTH. ™ DIFFERENT OPINIONS : ' t! ■ (BY TELEGttiPH—PRESS .ASSOCIATION.) .' ' \ Auckland, January 5. " With the Taupiri' and the northern '.collinries lying idle,-Auckland, suddenly finds its | coal supply 'lessened to the extent' of-about 5000 tons per week. '.Fortunately,'stocks are 1 c well in hand, so that-the pinch:,will nbt be tfelt' at- once, ' but- agents . are,' 'nevertheless,'' j put to-considerable inconvenience, and sup- a plies will hare to be maintained from West- a port and; Newcastle;; There is at present no 0 suggestion that an increase ih the price of - coal;will;be the outcome of ;the difficulty, -and j it is hoped that'with an early 'cessation of f the deadlobk the-inconyenience will 1 be at an; t end. . i {dt XEU.or.Arir. —BrEciAT. coau*spoNDENT.V . i ' ' ', Auckland, January 5. 1 ; Inquiries instituted by a Dominion repre- | tentative elicited the fact.that.unless'.something is speedily done to, bring about a settleinent -of - the. difficulty in oomiection with the miners 1 and owners, all coal consumers will - beaffected.■. : :Supplies are-,reported -on -all hands to bo limited; and'this,inevitably.means a-rise'in-the price of coal.-- ,- . • •HOW WOULD A- STRIKE WORK OUT? LARGE IMPORTER .NOT AFRAID- OF. IT. -' ' (BT ; TELEGItAPII —-PIiESS- ASSOCIATION.). ~ , / Christchurch, January 5., • Interviewed regarding the probable effect.pf a -minins; strike, one of the largest, impoH:<;rs,of . coal m the Dominion, whose headquarters are in Christchurch, said that although .matters;' seemed somewhat unsettled, ho thought, that thorp was no cause for, alam,' as,; there wrb plenty .of stocks at present. ' The Railway Department had at .least two or three . months. supply on hand,, but, on- the other hand,_ the freezing and other works .which , used New :Zealand' coal might, feel, the pinch if: a strike occurred.- :At ' present ithe' coal trade, was quiet in.New , as, at the time ■ oLthe strike . some, nionths/ago; many .firms laid;in big stocks'in view; of, further happenings.- Oh coubej-.if-any strike that might occur ;was of long duration i matters might assume a_inore serious aspect,. : but personally ■■• did ' not think that there would;be any shortage/, in-' the'event of a strikp of serious dimensions occurring, New Zealand; dependent on a supply from New South Wales, and, in view'of this fact, Mr. Isaac Chapman,-general manager of the Abermainknd Seaham Col-, lieries'. <tf. that L State, who', is 'at present, in Christchurch,. .was waited,, on.with . a viow to ascertaining whether sufficient coal. would be obtainable from Newcastle should a strjto occur in-the Dominion; Chapman that'there was not the least cjount that f<e\v South Wales would be easily aljle to supply any shortage. - The combined . concerns, ..of which he was in charge had an output of 6000' tons per day, and,, this; being- the case; there was ample to supply any .requirements' of this country. . i Questioned as.to the possibility of the New South Wales miners strikingl in. sympathy, with the New Zealand Miners' Federation, Mr. Chapman.replied that : this ;was a :yery remote contingency, as the trouble here was chiefly in connection with the industry, and, as tho New South' Wales collieries' employees had taken no steps towards helping the strikers of . the I Proprietary, Mines at Broken Hill, ,it was ndt likely, that they would.strike in'sympathy ivith the goldminers here. Kit hadbeen a'question ..of reducing, the wages-of the coal-miners in the* Dominion; it.might have'possibly\been' a different, matter,' l)ut any . aid .that,; the '' coal-: miners hero would obtain in the event of a strike' would be ' confined to financial ' help. The trouble which had recently arisen in New South Wales-in the coal-riuiiina' industry .was