THE "BLANK CHEQUE"

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 402, 11 January 1909, Page 5

THE "BLANK CHEQUE"

FAILS TO END MINERS',W . MEN STILL OUT. EMPLOYERS MTJSTV FIRST- KNOW THE ■■■-~ NEW BILL.-', ,-,-•■-;.-.-.•'.: :■;.• • ■ (by TELEOBira— niEss* assocutiok.) •"■ *.-'■'•.■ ; • .■•■ Reefton, January .10.; On receipt of Government information: that they- endorse the .undertaking i of ,min-: ing risks by the Insurance Department,-'and' after a conferenco with the Miners' CommiV tee, the employing:companies wrote" to*'the. secretary of tho Miners''Union,at Reefton r that the matter was still under' consideration by the mine-owners.:: { .': ... ■. . '.: Complete Settlement Wanted.- , ■ Their difficulty : (the employers added) was. that the proposal to.iittsure,, till Parliament meets, is merely ..-'a ••'■palliative;, be-' fore *■ ■" accepting that, ' the; mine-own-ers,* want to' know'. : what, "legislative change" the Government proposes j; to make with the objeot of- settling the ; difficulty. The mine-owners do not wish to effect a merely temporary settlement, 'and/to, xeopon the'whble question six 'mbriths]heri<:e'.' ! > ■■*'•' '■'"''■' The mine-owners accofdingly , disloatch'ed'a. wire to the Government asking for "an* outline, of the proposed legislation dealing;with the; Act, as: a guide to go on. No,reply has yet been received. ; ,.-.,..-.' ;;•,,■-:■ ■~.■/,■ -..\I:.A -, The Workers: Situation More.lntense... . Last night' over three'tundre^niiner^.assembled at", .the Princess Theatre and wero addressed by.Mr. Semplo, of Greymbuth,.aiid other members of the Miners'■:■"' Federation; Matters so" far were placed befbre E theffij.'arid' they, agreed to leave the'management.of:'the affair *in the hands ; bf. the 1 , Jfinets'' Feder'a-. .tibn. Votes of thanks ...were;, passed; to.".tho. Federation 'officers, to Mr. .P.; J. O'Regan; and; to Dr.. Conlan. v> This *is -all[that done. ■ *■"' ' : * ■■'"'.-,'■"'■ ■'•/.'■■.■"■"■■.'■■-•"''..

The' situation is now 'growing:in intensity.; Yesterday the men.'were'delighted with;the prospects of.resuming^-ork, 1 the..dispute"havinia: been most distasteful'.to a 11..,. .. sidered that.' the :diffieulty';;.w,a3,/medical: exr. animation, and that-alone, and the action of thp: ; Government, tardy fa's 'jt.',was.,i was; cor-.- ; dially approved. Many; men. who .were about' to go.away/ and > who 'stayed-in. Reef ton hopr ■ ihg for' a settlement,; are .now- disappointed ; : in tho extreme at the failure.of the'negotia-, tions to bring about/a' resumption'of work;' ' '. ■'■ Many.', workers'.: -roeommend' : ;'.the. sweeping away.rof,-tba-Act as being the cause of .the ' trouble.... Many. other's;"; pii:, the' 'other hand,, hold' that -.the ; .Acfc ; . is'necessary. in order; to' : protect: the. victims' of, miners' complaint^';;', . An Unknown Liability. . ",.Tho employers hold' -that; they-are:willing to go to work and employ the men at.once, •only it is.no use'id; reopen the. question six months hence,: The Act',' they sayjv presses tooheavily on theMndustry,-'and will cripple overy mining venture.whoso.iprospects are at alli.'nuotuating; Consumption,• according to Dr. Gill's report, is shown to be very prevalent in Reoftorf among both-sexes.--Coh-r sumption- in .miners is. liable 'to-,.turn -to pneumoconiosis, and without medical examination there is no show to detect this. There is also no guarantee that the Act as amended, will meet the situation, especially as strong exception has been.taken in labour': circles to Clause; 17. i'.\-;':;.- '•'■;.; V;v' ■ I . V. .■•''•". •:'■■'-'■.'.'■ ■■■■'■■ ''■■: ; : . V V :.' No Work for Oyer;a: ;;:.: ;, So far the.employers are Bettriniried.thkt l no. work will take 'place-to-morrow] <.asYwasj hoped. Only one. mine is .working, iho ■Golden Fleece,: which,.;owirig:.to its tributprs falling jn,,with:' the::,&6yernment ; ':lhsurancp department risk, is: covered by'the- Government.': -At; last night's: meeting of the-union they were consequently.'alloWediio,, engage, men;;.' The men. up:-,to .(last: Thursday '.'--'-had/ been without work .for'a fortnight. ■.; : rJO SETTLEMENT IN THE ; NORTH; ' v '.; ' ; ' '.':'';,';;:' V 7 (DV .TBLEOBAra-PKJSS.y'AifiuClATlijlit;) ':;,:.! ; ::Auokiand, January lO. 1 .i It', was thought" that, the Prime 'Minister's: statement /published; on "Saturdayy, to, ■/ the elfect that, -tho -State Y4 c 4 In^TO o6 .Department would:take the-risks regards' pneumoconiosis '(miners',.complaint), -and issue policies 'without 'nietlical examination, had settled the mining trouble occasioned -; by Clause 10 of -the- new AYorkors'".Compensation, Act.- ■':.-. . •■:... : -.-- ; ; : y-';" ,-;'...- r ■ : Matters; As Thoy . ' It appears, 1 however, that there 1 * difficulties that prevent ';a. speedy 'solutiorr-'of the trouble. Inquiries' among the, repreaentatives-.sf "jcoal .and; ;gdld"mining companies:,elicited; •the'';reply in.v.ak most; overy instance:- "MattersVare exactly as they.'were-.Keiorefihe. Prime l 'Minister's statement.". v •-•' .'/.:': i .-'•■'.'•' 7,-""J:=-C;'v /Further investigations' proved that '~ 'the situation'.wa's not relieved' at -all, the. ployers feeling tliati.very much definite and. reliable informat/on,is.necessary.:'beforo they can go any flfrther.'in. the'direction' of authorising/-work : toj/bp resumed.'in the mines. The opinion in 'insurance circles i seems ' to;!be 'that it'', ough'f f'toT be '-sufficient' to,, sot both industries; going again -to"know that the; State has undertaken' ...to".;give ~' cover, .against miners', complaint,. l .and-'to forego the medical examination.'. 'That, tjiiV lindprtakirig. lias not, howcveri , :le : d,,t , 6' : thM'result-is quite patent, owing'^to. a dotormined : ,reticence,on c ihe.' part' pf -the. majority , of the coal: and gold-mining, companies".:f It,,was/difficult on : Saturday- to arrive - at-.thp/Jprecise Vreason'S' Why the deadlock should continue. ' It was gathered. that: one or two. are involved. , - :,\.':':t:-~'i*~z*';- : "•;'?.:■.''. ■ ■ What 'Will the Stated Premiums' Be? In the'first.place,'there is tho question'of premiums. On- the.ono ; ,harid ; ihero lis-, an; opinion that.; tho Stato ''will .'■ not; charge' ari extra' rate,"andlomth'e'othcr, there, is a-doubt' as to; whether it ..will.- In'.'oither "case ther© ; is an uncertainty;.on'-the [point needs; clearing ,up../ The uncertainty'; 1 that:; exists: is' ' accentuated : by the'; fact; that/ 'despite. ;;Sir' Joseph Ward's reassuring message, the;majiagcr of 'tho, Aucklarid. branch .of ..the.'Stato Insurance Department ;i .(11r.:;J, / ,.Wi , iSpeight);; had up to closing time:on-Saturday reooived no instructions.. "When .seen,-by;,a "Herald": representative,; Speight''would,.; say : ho more'■ than that he had nothing to report.; It' is understood that; nothing ./'will .-•: bo', finitely Bottled as to the details of what;tho Stato office will do until ; thiS:<woekr : . •,;,..■; ; No Work on' Monday, ',-/ '""'■ ;'. Another point'that is, helping',tp,;.keep back a : settlement of tlie-trouble is; in'cohnecftion , with current insurance policies.' Most of the companies' concerned .'have-their' employeesinsured against accident with other than the State Insurance'office,-THcso' policies have various periods to. run. • The companies ''naturallyl want' to .knoWj -in addition* to: what . premium tho Government 'will; charge,-, whe-' ther they, are expected to ;let'theso policies :be cancelled and re-insuro ; with the Stato Departmont: both ngbin'st accident - and, miiiers' complaint, : or/whether'the Stato will, issue policios: to'', coyer, thai, diseasp: only, 1 ;:;' ;Thoro are sovoral minor points at issue also, Smn- . med. up, tho: position is_ that neither .omployers' nor employees quite: know: hpw thoy stand. In consequence, work will not be resumed in tho coal-niiues 'on Monday, as :was at first thought likely, and it is improbable that tho situation as regards tho gold-mines Will bo any different. 1 '' : -Xyi NEW MINISTRY'S INITIALBLUNDER. 'exhibitioner weakness. ;t;' (Bt Tsr,BoKArn.— specUl cokrbspondjkt.l ;, Christohuroh, January 10.\: With regard to the Government's action in oonhection, .with .. ; the. mining;;:;crisis, ;thc. "Prbss" : remarks .that, the... reconstructed. Cabinet has niado an inausD.icious beeumincr

at. the very outset 'of its 'cai'eer. •' With. tW : . * ink hardly dry on the signatures of the'new ; Ministers, it has executed a'right-about turn ■; whioh : is equal to any previous performance : ; . of rthe land that the Government has done for many-years. A more , painful exhibition -~. of weakness has surely eeldom been given by : . a Now Zealand Government. The. position . previously token up hy the Government was ; -the only■ bnei ;■ The. 1 attitude'of'.the*;.mine- ■".•;; : : owners end insurance companice'was'; abso- . lutely justified by the circumstances, and- the '"■'■..• men were wholly in the wrong.' Tne imme- '.[;■] diate consequences of the.trouble were: re- '. ■ grettable; bui,'<:haying right-on its 1 side,-the■■;". :'■> Governmont should; have stuck -firmly tb it 3. ' pins.."lts-action, however, has r shown.th'at it'; -~ ■is-;as''weak-kneed'.as' its ? predecessbr,': arid'... equally -ablo to eat its words •; and swallow "-.;.- its principles, whenever: it thinks such per- V••.;.-:'.* fdrmances desirable. If- this is the effect of .-"..-v ■' the'new blood in the Cabinet, we are afraid. : : : ; the country may look forward .to some queer ; ''"-. legislation and still stranger administration. •: : ;-;„ of Pleasing No one.' : . ; : The -"Lyttelton Times" .expresses .the, : .: : bpinion.-.thatrthere.will-.bo,yeryigeneral sur- v'v.'.-.." ■prise! atv.the'-decisioii'of the, Government in,.;., ; regard to. the.lirouble:betweeri the.miners and ;; :■■:■:■ the'ihsura'ri'co Companies;.''lt js pos'siblo.that ''■ :*'■'- even:-the promise .of , amending legislation .. nest 'session will not .satisfy : the workers j and .;;■.":."; the Government is in danger of pleasing no one /. by:its offer to,insure the men. without insist- ■ :'\\ : , ing upon a medical!ieiamiriatibn. .: . ■After tho positive statement that the'-Depart-. >: ; ment could/jiot;undertakd--.thelrisk' : unless_ it ■:• knew theextent of the liability, the decision ; approved, arid the Prime; Ministor.should , take :. " .an early opportunity , ;/)! rexplaining .theGov- •- ! efrimen't's,position.':, ■".'■■' '■\'-.\<''...■;'■ '■'■'.>: v '■' ':' :]^.- i PREMIER'S : JUSTIFICATION PLEA.:-'-: . ;.During the course of a. cbtiversation with'.-';.-.--' a Christchurch '"Truth" ''representative' on ■ ; Saturday in reference, to the mining trouble, Sir Joseph Ward said that he had; just re- •: ceived.a.-telegram stating that , the miners - ' had '.; agreed...-t0..-,th;e. r proposals! of ■;the -Gov-...: ... ernment. aS; : f.contained ■■ in'his^:- telegram to ■ ■ V .Mr. : S.empleji.buti.thermine-ownors-:had not : :;. ;yot,communicated, their;;.concurrence. Sir.,;.; ;Joseph'esprj36iSe"d: the.bpiriioft'-.that.the-action: ; - ; ■ of the .Government was justifiaßle'.on.' "the: ■'■■:.{ ■ ground that /if .tho ; matter.- had nbt, : .been ar- :K rangelj^'and.ifVtliin'gs:*had'gone;oh.;'ia .the ... same -have, been',; v '.-; in for some' time: p ast; - almost-every < other .■■/'■'•■'•■ industry in",the. Dominion, would, have;been ",.-"..'•■\' broughtv.to a : ; ; s'tahdstill ■in :two. : ..or:-',three: '>. • : Weeks*^.: ; :J •.-;«;'.;;•; .'V-Hk-j "■:■: :'':;■■*; ;\ : :}' •:■:'■'' '•':■: '■.■'..■'.:'"'

■:• STATEMENT: l ; ■; Wnen' se'en'.-qn Hon,' J: .A.; Millar,. lex-Mihister."' forVL?b6iiry had"; very ilittlo'to'say on-the:mining'deadlock,-and the latest .action' of'the 11 Governments 'He.>re.niarked -that 1 the ''trouble,thatvjiad .arisen showed.' that. : it.■■■ was almost. impossible to carry out:the'.Act in/its'presbnt'fqnn; and Parliament would have:',tb ; decide'.' whaJCto do 1 about ~itl\; .received' •fM.ni-Vthe^NorthVthat'-.'tlievemployfitß/.woiJd , shut'.-down : every ■ coalmine .on Monday':.....The outlook.■was' ;; very.-.bad, and'jivlarge number of men'would, have been' thrown lout, of ■employment, v ■■,!.-.i ; ':'V--.;.':•;■ ;■:■.■:' y ■;■;.. .':-■:-■;■

OPINIONS OF M.P.'S. / QUESTION OF -NATIONAL INSURANCE ' OPENED UP. The opinions of local members of Parlia-ment-on-the Government's surrender iu connection with the mining trouble were sought by a Dominion-representative A " Line of (.cast Resistance " Cabinet. Mr. A. L. Herdirmn, member for Wellington Noith, stated that the action of the Government seemed to him to be another instance- of their habit of following the line of ' least resistance when confronted with n seriHo preferred not tjq discuss -tho matter nvdotail at tho present (juncture. Anything that ho had to say wonld be said when tho question came up for discussion in thoHouso. , ; " One of the Dangers of State Control." . Mr. P. M. B. Pisher, member for Wcllington Central, said that unices tho Government had some very good reason for their action, which had not yet been mado public, it would certainly appear as if thoy had been forced to sign what Mr. Millar, had called a blank cheque. That was one 6i the dangors of Stato control which would have to be faced in tho future. If it was, to bo said, in connection with industries conducted by the State, that Cabinet was not strong enough to resist the demands of employees vhose sole argument was numbers, it was pbout time- to consider whether *ho principle of Stato control should bo <fxtonded to any further industries. Thore was no doubt that Mr, Millar's first decision on the Bubject was sound, and in the face of tho statement mailo by tho ex-Ministor for Labour, the reason for tho Go /eminent's ch«ngo of attitude should surely bo givon to tho public. ■IVtri'.LuliG Differs with Government's Action. '■ Mr. J. P. Luke, representative for the Suburbs *seat;< said:<—"l am of opinion that tho far-reaching offsets on our Industrial intercsts'could not havo been roalisod when the Bill wan being discusaod'.during tho last Parliament. 'It surely! could not bo expected that employers would be asked to compensate persons coming into thoir employment subject to certain disabilities. ,VTho seotion of the Actt'doaling with'miners''phthisis goes'beyond tho functions of accident insuranco, and if bo enacted it should havo takon thejform , of'a national sj'stem of insuranco that would provide for disabilities brought about by employment in other phases tf industry as woll' as mining. This opens ,up a great question, and ono that tlio country ' and Parliament would need carefully to considor.;- ;.-;,-a;.- ■ -'- '•:-.:■.. : ...••;': ■>: 'fli-api'vstrongly of'dpinibn that';';it. .would :.t havo been 'bettdr.:ifi,tho:Governmeiit?had:ad--.-'-. 'her'(d"!tp-'tnfflt*revip'^ ';to.my v .the only, legal .cpiirsfeto.follow, ■ ;■; Tho lnterferencc.bythe.Goverhnient.with any ; of our national- syat ems,; such as : - the ■Go vein- - ; ■ -raent Life Insurances;the-Public Trust; is '■'[ to *-. Itfis : hbsrtlutelyj. necessary;, thnt institutions should: bo, safe-guarded ''. and the public confidence'in them..preserved ;. if .they...are .to, be ;as. successful 'as wo!:all \i:'- ;. ;. '.^.'c-'•';'..■".'■■■: ; '.'T- >'.'; \' il'l .quito'feali3pth,e difficulties !■ ■■■' ihe : .Gofenment : werd ;view/of ; tho fa/-rQfl6h'ing; effect which, the cessation of > certoih". pni thecountry,.'.' ! •(but llbelie.vQ.i.thati : iwiihinrmness;>tho'''inatt«r",\. would'havej ndjnsted'itself. .;.■ Even-if ; :.ill-ndvi.se4 section ! .of.;tho 6omrtnnity;had d.e-;,. : cided.. to ■ do: what; was ■ contrary' to sthe,: pTo- r ': ■ ,of- : tho Act','it. would ,hayp been better .-'■. 'to osbaust' all '.legislative means" to ". bring : " Jibbutva.settleinent ifairly,' ■ Failing, such a ~" •settlement,;' it 'would, have.been;,prefordble to ; -'call .Parliament together .'to undo'.-what. ap- .-..' ■'peats'- .tor'be- the -work of a .'-'very inoifective . : Act.".-, ■.■•.■..;;.;,;;'.. : :, : ,..;.-;/■ -:,;;,.;';/:- v INSURANCE COMPANIES' ATTIVIiDE. . ,V;UNFAIR COMPETITiONV : 'i^';'-',;' "The" insufaiicocpnipani&sare very indignaiit : ;at'tli© Government's;action, arid n. nieetfng.of. . tho Accident .■Underwrites , .'. As.socia.tion'; \vilj ;■. ■ be hold May to consider 'the .jvliolo question. • Tho- feeling .of -the 'insurance companies is ; '. ■■■ the ;Gpyornmpht.has. pot dpne,;right in.'.',-h'nriding'-tlife , risks oveK' to;;-. the ; ;' 'Accident,-' Department. '.V"The■.Government," -reid'arkod ~ an msiirahoomahagori ''has stepped in'behind : us- and loft al!'tho oonipaiiies in; the , ltimh.'; They: are' going- to ; 'loso : their' business..' Tho -; ■pvpr-ridden. thev-;opiiiions of ■..-.' its trained officers, the Commissioner'and his staff, but this is just tho kind,of thing wo can expcot from a Department that is coutrollablo by politicians, 1, OWNERS' POSITION "NOT IMPROVED." MR. W. PRIOR INTERVIEWED. Mr. W. Pryor, secretary ot tho Employers' Federation, when interviewed, said that, judging from a number of telegrams ho had received and from personal oxjiiessions of dnin . ion, tho position of the iiiino-owimrs liad ' not boun In 'any way improved by fcbo 1 ltest action of tlio Government, even if ;t had nn*, been made worso, Undor nresunt cin-'Tv-'tions a number of owners had not, as y'e.i, .mcurred anj. liability under tho cow ict.

but if they freely employed men in reliance upon tho offer of the Government, the arrangement with the Government Accident Insurance Department would morq than probably be of a temporary nature, and then, if it happened'that Parliament did not amend tho Act in,a mannor satisfactory to the employers, they .would find themselves in the position'of having assumed liability under the Act, and might bo unable to get tho necessary cover, either from the Gov-. ' ernment or from tho insurance companies. Mr. Pryor added that tho decision of the Government had come as a great surprise to tho employers, especially ■ after the very ' strong statements made by tho Prime Minister and Hon. Mr. Millar. The position was bo serious that he had referred the whole matter to Mr. 0. P. Skorrett, K.C., for' his opinion, and a meeting of the Advisory Board of the Employers' Federation would bo held this afternoon to consided the whole question. SATISFACTION AT THAMES, (sr TKHaniPH—rßEss association.) Thames, January 9. > The news that the Government will indemnify the State Office against loss and instruct it to accept < miners'- risks without medical examination, has given great satisfaction locally, and has relieved what promised to shortly become a cerious position. AN INDEMNITY AGAINST "EVERY BODILY DEFECT." tBI TILEOBAra—FKEdS ASSOCIATION.! Reefton, January 9. The telegram sent by tho Prime Minister to' Mr. Semple was also sent to Mr. O'Regan, who replied as follows:— , "Your • telegram received. I was on my journey to 'Wellington, but have come back to Reefton in consequence, and will see if anything can bo done._ The limitation of the proposed examinations for pneumoconiosis _ simplifies matters, considerably,' but the difficulty is enhanced by the fact that indemnity has been asked against every bodily defect, in terms 'of section 17. It.is my duty to point out to the Government that this means that every man not perfectly sound will have to choose between losing his employment and surrendering the right of compensation. This means that many men who' would have claimed even under the old Act would be barred, and every class of labour (not miners- alone) involved. "This fact -is not, yet appreciaied, either by the press or tho publio outside, otherwise there would have been before now r general ontbreak of opposition from all classes of ' organised labour "Your telegram contains no reference to the class of coalmincrs. No matter what the Accident' Department may Bay to the contrary, I maintain it is absurd to examine them for pneumoconiosis. This matter is of minor importance here, but is obviously important elsewhere." Mr. O'Regan returned here to-night. Mr. Semple Is expected to arrive also. MASTER PAINTERS TO MEET. Our Palmerston North correspondent telefraphs'that a meeting of the-Manawatu and Oroua Master Painters' Union is to be held in, Palmerston on January 19, to considei the question of insuring employees against "disease under tho amending Act which is causing trouble in mining and' painting circles.