THE STATE MINERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 119, 13 February 1919, Page 6

THE STATE MINERS

REQUEST FOR MEDICAL MAN

GOVERNMENT ACTION

PROMISED

A deputation representing the miners from the State Mine at Bunanga waited on the Minister of Public Health yesterday, to ask for his assistance in getting a. doctor for their district. The Chief Health Officer (Dr. Valintine) and the Under-Secretary for Mines (Mr. H, J. H. Blow) were also present.

The deputation was not open to the Press, but the Minister' made a statement subsequently to a reporter. The deputation stated that it was considered by the miners absolutely necessary that there should he medical service available to them, and that the stoppage of the mine had not been done by the Miners' Union, but by the Medical Association at Bunanga, comprising in its membership all the miners and the other employees of the mine. The Minister stated that following the precedent that had been established at other mines, where the mine-owners had contributed to the medical fund, the Government proposed to subsidise 'the fund at the State Mine to the amount of JJISO a year, on the understanding that two members of the executive of the Medical Association should be appointed by'(he Minister of Mines, _ and further that in the event of a dispute arising oii any professional question between the medical man and the association, the matter would be inquired into by the Chief Health Officer, who would report to the Minister, sending a copy of his renort also to the executive of the association. The deputation expressed concurrence with these proposals, and it was then decided that the Chief Health Officer should advertise for applications for the .appointment, at: a guaranteed salary of dfiVflfl a year, with the .right of 'private practice within the district, and that the Chief Health Officer should recommend to the union the most suitable medical man offering for the position. The Minister promised that every endeavour would be made to secure aidoctor rs soon as possible, and in the -meantime Dr. Valintine would communicate with the Greymouth Hospital Board, ashing thnt the medical superintendent be made available for service at the mine in necessary cases.

The Minister suggested that the deputation should advise the men to return immediately to their employment. In reply to this suggestion the members of the deputation said thnt such a request would be useless, as the men would not undertake the risky occupation of mining until they were assured that'in case of accident medical service would be available.