MINERS’ COMPLAINT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9346, 15 January 1909, Page 5

MINERS’ COMPLAINT.

MR MASSEY’S VIEWS,

Per Press Association

Auckland, Janaary 13. Mr Massey, Leader of the Opposition, received a telegram from the secretary of the Thames Miners’ Union a day or two ago asking hm to suggest a solution of the miners’ difficulty. In his reply, Mr Massey said that, wfiile willing to do anything possible to remove the present deadlock, he considered the only way out of the difficulty was to convene Parliament for the purpose of amending the Act. Mr Massey stated to-day that he doubted whether the Government had the legal power to give a guarantee to the Accident Insurance Department to make up any loss that might arise in connection with the insurance of miners against pneumoconiosis between now and the meeting of Parliament; and that he doubted also whether the Department would be within its legal rights in accepting such a “guarantee even if it were covered. “The proper constitutional course,” he said, “is to convene Parliament and allow it to deal with the matter,” TELEGRAM FROM THE PREMIER. Per Press Association. Auckland, January 14. A telegram received from |the Premier states :—“The terms of the Government Accident Insurance Department were fixed before I wired mine owners on the West Coast. There is no difficulty in this respect, and I am unable to understand why, in view of the fact that Government has undertaken that the Accident Insurance Department should effect insurance for pneumoconiosis, there should be any further delay on the part of mine owners to end the trouble. I have wired them further on the matter this afternoon, and the responsibility is on the owners. I have given instructions for an Order-in-Oounoil containing Government accident insurance rates to he published in to-day’s (Thursday’s) Gazette.”

Thames, January 14

A meeting of Thames Miners’ Union made little progress towards a solution of the present difficulty. There was very little to report for the reason that no replies had been received to telegrams except that from the Minister of Mines. Since the meeting a reply was received from the Premier that Gazette notices will be published at once. It explained that Government had -offered to take the risks or to indemnify the State Insurance Department against loss, as this was about as far as they could go at present. Regarding the manning of the ground, it was decided to go into this question and see what could be done. It was decided to consult solicitors regarding £the liability of mine-owners Jin the case of contractors’ wages men Jwho had not been paid off.

THE INSURANCE RATES

Wellington, January 14.

A supplement to the Gazette was published this afternoon, containing the under the Government Accident Insurance Act relating to pneumoconiosis, insurance against which is to be provided by the Department in terms of the decision recently come to by the Government. They are as follows : These regulations shall apply only to contracts which include insurance or indemnity against risks arising under section 10 of the Workers’ Compensation Act, 1908. In no case shall the Commissioner require as a condition of a contract that the workers have been medically examined or that any medical or other evidence or declaration respecting their state of health is given or produced. In the case of pneumoconiosis, the Commissioner shall keep a separate account, showipg all premiums received and claims paid. Rates and premiums to be charged shall be according to the following table

In respect to every £IOO of wages the same rate as is fixed in Table S or the Order-in-Council of the 19th December, 1908, for the therein mentioned policies with an addition of 20s. For all other diseases in respect of every £IOO of wages the same rate 'as is fixed in aforesaid Table S without any addition. Subject to the foregoing provisions of these regulations, general regulations in force shall apply to every such contract. Timarn, January 14.

Interviewed in Timarn this evening the Premier said: “I have received advice that the difficulty regarding the Northern coal mine has been .settled, and that the owners have accepted the Government Accident Insurance Department’s “cover,” and that the miners will resume work to-morrow.” Dunedin, January 14.

The miners at the Golden Point and Golden and Tungsten mines at Maoßae’s Flat, numbering 24, have submitted themselves to the medical examination, and all have passed. It is stated that the men raised no objection to submitting themselves to the examination.

EMPLOYERS’ REPLY TO FEDERATION MANIFESTO.

AN OFFER TO THE WORKERS.

Reefton, January 14.

We cannot allow the manifesto of the Miners’ Federation to go nncontradioted. as it only serves to perpetuate the existing misapprehension which there must he as to oar attitude, There is one paragraph with which we cordially agree. That is the statement, “Facts have been misrepresented, with the result that the public outside this district have not yet learned the real meaning of the struggle.’’ The only qualification of the above statement we would make is that are probably more active in this district than outside. The manifesto sets out “The statement has been assiduously circulated that the struggle has been precipitated solely because of the inclusion of ‘miners’ phthisis’ in the category of industrial diseases under section 10 of the Workers’ Compensation Act, which is correct. As we are willing to allow the public to judge the cor reotuess or otherwise of the statement made by the Miners’ Federation and as a test of the bona fides of both sides, we make the following offerlf the Miners’ Federation, with the approval of the !local Unions, will join ns in a petition to Parliament to remove pneumoconiosis

(miners’ complaint) from the operation of the Workers’ Compensation Act, we will undertake to dispense entirely with medical examinations, however undesirable it may be to have working in the mines men suffering from certain complaints, notably heart disease. Local mine owners did not attempt to enforce the medical examination until they met with their present liability for pneumoconiosis and adopted thejonly means of preventing unjust claims being made. If our offer to forego tne medical examination is accepted, it means an end of the present difficulty. If it is refused it shows that the stand taken by the Miners’ Federation lacks honesty of purpose.—We are, etc., Consolidated Goldfields of N.Z., Ltd.

The Black water Mines, Ltd. It is too early yet to know what effect this letter will have on the mind of the workers, a great number of members of the local union speaking in favour of wiping out the miners’ phthisis, attributing to it the great loss and inconvenience already incurred, but the Union is unreservedly in the hands of the Federation of Miners, the leading spirits of which expressjthemseives as averse to putting aside the original ground of the trouble. The loss of work is telling heavily on a number of the men. It is three weeks today since the last pay and it has been three weeks of expanse It is stated that over a hundred of the younger miners left the district last week, peeking work at Dunuollie, Blackball, and Otira. Employment is urgently desired as on pecuniary grounds alone a grave state of affairs may be occasioned. Employers have informed the Inafngahua Times that the insurance rates covering pneumoconiosis are to hand. 20s per cent, is asked in addition to the present rate of 5 per cent., or if the recent rise of 10 per cent, by the companies is included, a total of 49s 6d. There is to be no provision made against pneumoconiosis alone. Thus contracts with other private companies will have to be broken. If insurers avail themselves of the Government offers, and as premiums in many instances have already been paid in insurees wish to know if the companies will refund the amounts if a transfer to the Government is allowed. The party of Golden Fleece tributors pay £2OO per annum in insurance, which amounts to over 2s per week foe each man for the working weeks per annum. The Consolidated Group Companies put down the extra cost as from £BOO. to £IOOO. A HEAVY LIABILITY. x Auckland, January 15. The manager of a leading insurance company says that assuming that only one'per cent of the miners of the Dominion contract miners’ complaint each year, the annual loss under the new regulations would be £45,000 per annum.