Mines Commission.

Maoriland Worker, Volume I, Issue 7, 20 March 1911, Page 11

Mines Commission.

Names of Commissioners.

GOVEKNMJLNT SELECTION OBJECTED TO. WEIxLINGTOiSf, Ma.rch 4. Messrs F. Seed (Inspector of Mines), D. M. Coc'hrane, Gi-ace, J. Dixon, J. Fulton and H. Betts have been appointed a I&oyal Commission to- inquire into and report upon the sanitation and ventilation of coal and gold .mines. REEFTOX, March. 14. The Imingaliua, jiiiiiers' "Union, at a* general meeting, strongly protested against the aiiciu-sioiL of the two Laboar ■members appointed on the Royal Ooin0.11 the .sanitiat-icn and venitilation of mines, and requested the Government that the ■appctiiitment be cancelled, siibstituting , the names of Messrs. Parry a-uci JJdivyray for t-iio^e , of Me&srs Betts and Fulton. The resolution says th© M.iiiei\s' Fed,era:tioui inambers will not tendeiv evidence beioTe the Commission. WESTPOET, March 15-. The folloAving resolution was unanimously passed at a conference of miners' delegates from Dennistcm, Granity, Stockton, and Mokiliinui, held in Westport:— '"That this conference enters its strong protest against the appointment of Messrs 13etts and Fulton on the Royal Commission set up by the Government to inquire into the ventilation and sanitation of coal and gold mines throughout the Dominion. Further, we consider that the Federation of Labour's reaommendations should have been given effect to, and in. the event of the' Federation's recommendations being not considered the whole of the miners throughout the Dominion be asked not to give evidence or assist the commission in any way/

The above message from Reef ton scarcely gives the correct ground of theobjection raised by the Miners' Unions. Ori being notified that the Government would set m> the Commission, the Federation of Labour submitted the names of Messrs J. Dowgray (Granity) and W. E Parry (Wai'hi) as miners' representatives thereon. Tlie names of the coan-]-.i-.sioiier..s were, announced in the press-o-n March 4, which was the first intimation the Federation had that the Government had chosen Messrs Fulton and Betts instead of the nominees o:i the Federation. The Federation considers the selection of Mr Betts purely political, and for this and other more urporta-ut ireasoas well known in mining circles H objects to his presence on the Commission. There is no personal obiection to Mr Ftilton (Huntly), but as. the Government choee its own representatives on the Commission and. tJhe Employers' Federation or the Mine Owners nominiated the gentlemen repTeisenting their interests, the Miners rigibtly claim that, the men selected by the Executive of the Federation should ha.ye been appointed. Tp.e Executive of fbFederation also claim that the order of reference to the Commission ought to be> considerably widened so as to alloi%v of investisratioii b Q ing- made into general woT-kinfT conditions in all the mines of the dominion.