THE MINING – DIFFICULTY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 446, 5 January 1909, Page 3

THE MINING - DIFFICULTY.

Eleven Mines Allected.

Reeeton, January 3,

A meeting of 300 miners was held last night, but was not open to the Press. It is understood that the delegate of the Federation of Miners and the cpmmittee reported that no agreement has been come to with the employers. Messrs Colvin, M.P., and P. J. O’Regan addressed the meeting. It was ultimately decided that no member of the Union should go to work to-morrow, and the only miners working in the district will be the tributers of the Golden Fleece. The mines affected are the Progress and Globe mines, New Big River, Keep-It-Dark, Energetic, Wealth of Nations, New Ulster, St. George, Big River, Faith, and Welcome Syndicate. All the battery hands also will not go to work, and it is calculated 600 miners directly employed in the mines are affected. Great indignation is expressed against the Government’s inaction. It is held their iuconsideration is in a measure the cause of the trouble between the employers and the men. The men think the employers are making too much of the risk to the men and also think the employers, in asking for five years' Insurance, are asking too much. A good deal of censure was passed on a member of the Labour Federation, who is reported by the New Zealand Times to have said that 75 per cent, of the miners were affected with miners’ complaint. Mr Semple, the president of the Miners’Federation, says this was misreported. The utmost good order prevails, and it is held that as the men were discharged on December 23 there is no compulsion for them to go to work.

Persuant to the decision arrived at on Saturday night the miners did not turn up at work this morning. All the mines are virtually idle. At the Energetic mine only the mine manager and the assistant manager are working. The casual hands, even though notified that no medical examination was required for them, have not resumed work. The tube mills and extension of the plant is* thus delayed.

The Keeprit-Dark mine is engaged in pumping after the Christmas holidays. The mine manager is engaged in til ting the buckets and the superintendent is at the engine. I The Globe battery is in full swing crushing the remainder of a special lot of stone, but only the manager and one assistant are working. , There is no news yet from the Globe or the Blackwater mines. Wellington, January 4.

In connection with the miners’ trouble, the Hon. Millar, speaking to a Post reporter,, said the Government can do absolutely nothing in the matter. It is a question purely between the owners and the men. The men are practically asking the Government to give a blank cheque to every miner in the country""vyb° suffering from disease. “Ws squid not do that without the Parliament,” he said. ' No Trouble at Thames. Thames, January 4. Regarding the difficulty re the medical examination of miners so far as the local position is concerned the companies insist on their men being examined. In some cases no definite instructions have been issued, but the managers are not likely to accept the responsibility of dispensing with the medical examination in view of the almost unanimous desire of the mining companies that medical examinations are to be held. In some cases the men have taken time by the forelock and have already been examined. Armed with their medical certificates they will commence work forthwith. In the case of those who have been or will be found to be suffering from miners’ complaint in the Thames the men must perforce wait for the return of the Stipendiary Magistrate before (hey can secure the exemption necessary. It is not anticipated that any trouble will arise locally as the Union is outside the Miners’ Federation and any mandate issued by that body has no bearing upon the local position.