THE TROUBLE IN THE MINES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 406, 15 January 1909, Page 6

THE TROUBLE IN THE MINES.

The publication of ihe ■ tfjMs' tlpti which the Government Insurance Department will cover the liability of mirjebwnefs under tiig new Act withbiit requiring ' a ifledieal elainination of the Mjiloyees mkt efect a tempbr'ki'y iiettie , - meht of the trouble; npwevefi is by no iSeans certain; since the.mihe'-dwn= ers have good reason • to" fetjl doiibtfUl wlietiifir mh tlie Bxtfa burden 6f ah itifireased premiuni,.wiil l)uy:an undertaking by the' State to do. business jjermahehtly, at the; neW rate; • Th§ Government lias decided 16, cover . tke fiskS attacked tb pn'euinocbiiiosis by charging a. special rate.4l3.per cenfc ih advance.of the existing rate* jEitMr that fate' is ii safe , tihe or it is hbt; afi'r} we haVB h8 a'eanSr and the GoVb'fhme'nfc has no means'i 01 knowing the : permanent fixing ei thdt rate f ill not Cripple the - ; finance's,.df ty;Acaidentijiaflcii uje the w partmeht.-' Tiie , ihstiraiicß manager whose views we print to-fjay points cut, that, even affesf dlsfciintirig v6fjf heavily,the miners' estirflate fjf ttie favitges of pneuimpebniosis,■from ohorquarter to ono-half j a million sterling will jjfobably to be. paid out during'the'next' , teh years in respect of. claims connected .wiih. this disease!, ¥hefe are many .diffisiilfc : ,aspßpts ei the .complicated situation that HaS ar'isSfi oili ti. tM GeVeftfiierit'S wg&ifc kiieed aband6;tiiiibnt of, its '[ ofi|idai h\ 'fiisiii, to grafit the. miners' dfemafid Jor insurance witlibiit examin'atloni Tlif piißlio have its' fUiidi p'ie'dge'ii t6 . bjAfktet Uβ th 6. finances 6f - ■&'. meni wh'ich .is. being used .by.' the'■.Gtdv&rri--nieiit to ri3stofe peace in•: dn industry Whicli.'haibeßn aistttjb&d By . tnb, lilii'fedsßnabie'.pgS'..ef-. a body, di ■.wor'fef's/ ■ The fjiibiic Has t"6as6h to jpfdtest: against ttlbV utilisafiibh of its casli to buy a. cbntiriuafleS; 61 Labbur's sUpii6rt : t6 a political ia.rty : : ;■■;■■ : -':..;:.•::■■..... ~ ■ ,;. .{■'■:, f h§.' insurance cbiflpAfiieg;- wileh aro re ; ady tod anxious to do hmmesi 6n feo.und, lines, can rightly donlplain df tilB ; astiea ef ■■ the Goveramerlt iti uSing ■ the' piitilie fiinds, ..to'' SvKich'they Cofltributej tb bhabie a State-BUppbi'ted rival" tb get a iiibtibpbly of a certain class of blisinessi AS. f6f.' tfae'.-fiiiiie-dwaerg,. : thev: havb ttb' ■ guarantee Miat the State will - cbiitinuc its. cover a.t .the hew rates,.and no gtiaranteb tliafi ifi aiiy. amehdihg legislation tllfiii , Caie infty 4 iJo'fc be fiiade wbfse thati it, .is;- Wii6thßr;: the itnVrai'Mbtablp dedilieh: of the> Government id misusii' (He p'u'blifi , brddlt wiH'Bnrig bdek ppace'-tt) the Shin-. ;ing iadlisti'y depends iipdft'..whether.; the' decide then 1 -trust in a Qoverfiffleflt ' shown itieU ■Id.' iildiiidfeiit ih tlieitv interests where, they clash-With : tlie vihtevestß; bf :. Labburj: attdv.Whibli lias,fib iiidi'e stability than a Na mifie-awaef cfth; p.esSibly believe tliat tljd Govefiiment's face 'was performed witn the object, of giving considei'atibn tc thfe figkts of the bWadrs'A; The Piiiilß Mitiistfift li.ai, 6&iphaliged tlie dlfeetilt.V.,that the .wbrkejs.. will 1 '6xpe'¥icnCß. in , Jifbving their, elaifriSi Tlie inference may bo d?awn from tins': that the Sdvei'hmeht .wii^eadcavdui 1 to difficulty. If the". G'ovbrnffieat docs lib't frattie; its.iiew leglslaiil6ll;tp this' .find; 6h. its. ■ oAvn. account) it is : likely 'tb be pi'esSed tb .do so. by': thd fieopie who haVB aiMdJr ieMiled haw to scjut&zo'the G(6VWhtnfcnt inta übing wliilt they desife iti ordbr to, placate thenk ■ .In, that .fiasbj the niirid-oVVnerS will be .worse oft thin. at present. Uhldsß they thrc-W tolnselvey tlpdn the public's ' sehs-Q of Mir iplay, by: standing f\Hii on thb;"jUß- - theji' caiisb, they will probahly.nM that'the MW bufdeh placed on their.bUsUness by trig Workers' Compßns&tion Atit will bo largely', increased. The m6s"t us - flil Ifeisbh, of ; the whole ti'&ubie will, be thfl bringing home to the public.bf the in.jiiritp results that this •kind' of lfegifelatibfi has , U{)dn. the country's - industries; Sut- ii is ■ thb State,i-.Socialist's pblicy .to feguiate and harass , private enterprise out 'H existence; ■ ':< ■:' - -