MINING TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 409, 19 January 1909, Page 4

MINING TROUBLE.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. THE MINE-OWNERS' POINT OF VIEW. ' ' WORK TO BE RESUMED. (D» TELEGRAPH— MKSS ASSOCIATION.) Glll'istchurch, January 18.. Sir Joseph Ward was seen by a reporter fii ','The Press," with regard to the presenji position of tho mining trouble. The PrintMinister said: • : ' ■ ■ "Both Mr. Free and Mr. Pryor saw me and discussed tho whole position, and the suggestion was mado (on lines already conveyed to mo) that Parliament should he palled together. I declined to entertain the idea as being quite unnecessary. If such a system were adopted in this country whenover a trouble arose, as in this instance, the precedent of calling Parliament* woll, I don't know quito where it would end. Every time there was a disturbance, industrial or otherwise, tho first request would be to put the mighty machinery.of Parliament in motion. While people looked directly at the concern they were immediately interested in they overlooked the fact that the £20,000 or £30,000 required to call Parliament together would require a tremendous amount of justification, in addition to . which it .vould take more than an industrial strike to induce mo to havo steps taken to have, a meeting of Parliament convened. The more so as from information in my possession I feel confident that the ideas of some of the mine-owners as to the responsibilities involved in the. matter of insurance are not warranted at the present juncture. In other words; I do not think from the information furnished me that their liability.is as great as has been stated/. I recognise that there is a diversity of opinion as to the interpretation of the legislation under Section 10 of the Act, and I intimated to Messrs.-Free and Pryor (as I had previously done in correspondence) that the Government would give the fullest opportunity for both sides", to place their case fully and unreservedly beforo a Parliamentary committee,'and that when the evidence was completed, and the committee had reported, Parliament would be asked to-legislate to make the Act an effective one, and to remove any doubt that: at present may exist concerning its operation. I again stated that the actual lines upon which legislation would take place, I was not prepared to state at the present juncture; on the iprinciple that to do so would be to put the cart before the horse, The evidence should be placed before Parliament and before , the' ■ Government to enable us to act with a full knowledge of the position so far as legislation is concerned.", .■'-,'■ .' , : .-'. -,' Asked if a Royal Commission would not expedite matters, Sir Joseph replied thatit would not. The matter would havo to be gone into again by a Parliamentary committee, v :'" ■ .■'■' . '' ■.- x ■ ■ Concluding, he said: ■:. ' ■ "I can only hope that better counsels will prevail,, and that the. trouble,will come to an.. end without delay." '■'.; ■ '■ ■ . STATEMENT BY MR. PRYOR. Seen by a.representative of "The.Press/ , ., and asked for a statement regarding the preaent position, Mr. \V. Pryor, secretary.of t-lw New Zealand Employers' federation, said:— "Mr. Free, mine owners' representative,.arrived in Chiißtchurch on Saturday evening from the' West. Coast, and I had a'.-lengthy interview with him regarding the difficulty.in Koefton. The mine-owners leel that tho new law casts upon them a large and an unknown responsibility, the extent oi which can only be ascertained by medical examination, and as the •■ Miners' Federation has unreasonably-refused to allow the workers to submit to any medical examination, the position could not be.im-• proved by insuring with the State Insurance department, as/should Parliament fail to make adequate .amendments in the law, a heavy and unreasonable : burden would-be cast on tho mine-owners.. The insurance experts who: gave evidence before the Labom liills Committee. declare that with ( a medical, elimination premiums' would- not be increased by. -more: than from_seven per cent, to 10-per-ccut., whereas owing to the unreasonable attitude of "the Miners' Federation in refusing l to submit to medical examination premiums havo been increased from 455. to 695. Gd. per £100,; or over 50 per cent., while the actual increase due to the inclusion of pnoumoconiosis.in the; Act;.which is 20g..in the £100, means an increase, of 40 per cent. I. am informed that the insurance premiums paid nuder the old Act for mining risks in the Dominion amounted to about £12,000 per annum, so that the increase of premiums in respect to pneumoconiosis' aloue means a tax on.tho mine-owners of the Dominion of £4800 per annum. _ This is a special charge upon the- mining industry due to tho unreasonable , attitude of..the Miners' Federation, which is resented accordingly. The indemnity givin by the Government to tho State Department.will coasa when Parliament deals with tho matter, aijd the insurance companies have declared that'even- at the increased premiums mentioned'they will not do business. Consequently,. if the Act is not adequately . amenM-: the mine-owners will be .: saddled with . .this large, and unknown responsibility, ; and will be compelled either to pay much larger premiums than are. asked at the present time;or. carry.their own risks, which in some cases at least will mean that the mines will.;be.closed- down, and will consequently 'involve less employment for the workers.."':-Is it any. wonder that the mineowners were anxious to have tho matter ■ dealt with bya special session of Parlia-ment,-or havo some indication from the Government as to what, legislative means , would'be taken: to get over the' existing difficulties ? Sir Joseph Ward being in Christchurch, very kindly arranged to see Mr. Free and myself and discuss the present situation.- Sir Joseph stated that he ap.. predated the difficulties of the position, ;but thought that a special session of Parliament was not warranted. With reference , to the legislation, to be introduced, he stated that ho was fully aware of tho points upon which there were differences of opinion regarding tho'operation of tho Act.of last session, but,: as already intimated, ho was not prepared at the preseut moment to make any definite announcement as. to the intentions of the Government. The only assurance ho could, give was that ho fully appreciated the position, and, after ample opportunity had been afforded both side's- to express their opinions before a Parliamentary Committee, tion would bo passed to enable the law to be effectively worked. Tho mine-owners are naturally very much ; disappointed at the '; position in. which they find: themselves, as they must either keep the mines"closed-until . Parliament meets or assume a liability which is unsatisfactory. Mr. Freo informs "me that he thinks that.the interests of the. mining companies will be best served in the circumstances by reopening the mines at onco, and relying upon the good sense of Parliament to seo justice done, and this course will-be probably adopted." ~ r ■ '■;'■. '"'■ WORK TO BE RESUMED AT REEFTON. (or teleouai-h— niEss. association.; . .■:. ■-■■'■" . Reefton, January. 18.' All hands will resume work to-morrowyat all the mines.. The Miners' Union, at a meeting to-night, rescinded the motion not. to go on work. - .i , . 7 ■ .■'■'.'/- '■■ ' A LECaU OPINION. (HI TRtIOIIAI'II— I'KItSS . ASjIiniATION'.] . ; ■ Bunscim,; January 18! At tho; instance of .the Coal and Mine* owners' Association, Mr. John. Macgrogor -furnished a legal opinion oil. the'effect upoi) tho association of the -provisions , of tho- ne\i compensation Act dealing with pnoumocoD. iosis. The opinion concludes , as follows: — ' "It seems clear from statements submitted to me that men working in coalmines do not' contract pneumoconiosis, and if my view of ' the law is xorrect, it follows there is no risk of claims for compensation bcinp; successfully mado by men .who contracted the disease iii quartz mines, and I fail to seo on what grounds coal-mining companies should : make common cause with quartx-miniiig companies unless coal-miners make common cause with' quartz-miners. Tho position is: simply this - Any miner who refuses to submit:to medical examination thereby makes it impossible that' ho can ever receive compensation for pnenmnebniosis, or indeed anv nf.the einimcratotl diseases, and, so far as ho is concerned, the change might just as well never have been

. made, as ho would by. his refusal havo prac -, ticallv put. lumself outsido Scction 10, Ai for the insurance "companies, it is not diffi .' cult to understand wliy tliey should seek. t< magnify the risk, or why thoy should b( chagrined -by. tho pction of the Government in indemnifying , thp Department , and'sc . diverting business in: that direction. If business should provo highly profitable, as it musl do of tho r(Bk:iß'correct, the com- . . panios can hardly cnniplain< when thoy fine the Government taking them at their word-': THE POSITION AT HUNTLY. PROCESSIONS AND CONCERTS. (m TELEGr.Ani—purss association.) . ■ Huntly,: January IS. Tho coal mines at Huntly. are still closed " owing to...tho:determination -of tho Mincrs : Union not to rcsumo work until four of thoii .members, 'who underwent medical, examination and nro at work, are reduced in status, A conference between tho men and tho directors of the Taupiri Coal Company is .to he held to-morrow. Meantime. the miners are . . amusing themselves and distracting tho minds of tho rowdy cloment by holding processions and concerts. Tho four allowed i'blacklcgs" aro. daily escorted to awl from work,. and » tho> town band plays tho Dead March in front of their residences. Tho union officials ■ disclaim any. desire to'. see violence. perpetrated,. and declare 'that they aro doing all they can to keep everyone, in order. 'There ■.; .' are. 300 meii' out of work.. At. .the same time , they. state that, they will .stand firm in-'their decision not to resumo'work unless the four alleged "blacklegs". aro reduced. If to- - . morrow's conference doe 3_ not lead to a settlement, an acuto crisis is imminent.