EMPLOYERS' 'ATTITUDE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 400, 8 January 1909, Page 6

EMPLOYERS' 'ATTITUDE.

PAINTERS NOT ALARMED. (bt telegraph—press association.)

Dunedin, January 7. Nothing serious eventuated locally in connection with the new Compensation • Act'. •The coalmine owners will .hold a meeting tomorrow to decide on the course of action regarding the ;medical examination of the men. The employers; for their own-sakes, are.in favour'of insisting on medical examination, •but they recognise that such,a course would precipitate trouble. If iseems: not ' unlikely, that, the Ofcago employers _ will decide not "to ask for .medical , examination, but ; to accept t,ho- risk in the- hopo. vthat Parliament will amend the. new'law : . . ' '

•Inquiries show that painter's do not regard tlio position seriously. ■-Sir."Gillies, president of the Master Painters'- Association, says he knows of only one case of lead'poisoning in 28. ; years ,! and lie does net think the insurance companies'' are justified in asking for medical examination or for an increase m insurance Urates;':. -■'' ..

Apropos' of the closing ■ down of northern coalmines, the "New Zealand Herald" states :that' ■fOr ■ months 'past the Railway Department has been storing coa}; and all the available spaces are now stocked with heavy sup- • plies,-; so that ; there appears to be no ■ fear of the, railways^running-short, of coal. The official explanation of -.this storage was that the Department wished to be ready to cope with the - holiday' traffic and the extra demands from the Main Trunk service.