The Mining Difficulty.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4361, 16 January 1909, Page 3

The Mining Difficulty.

the regulations, gazette notice published. <i WEllington, January 11: A Gazette was published this afternoon containing regulations under the Government Accident Act, relating to pneumoconiosis inßurf? 10 ® against which is to be provided by the department in terms of the decision \ rmP come to by the Government. are as follows : —These regulations a ppiy only to contracts which in ■ y~ elude insurance or indemnity against risks arising under section 10 of the Workers’ Compensation Aet, 1908. In no case shall the Commissioner require as a condition pf contract that workers I 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 Commissionei shall keep a separate account showing all premiums received and claims paid. The rates of premiums to be charged shall be according to the following table of rates for pneumoconiosis in respect of every £IOO of wages, the same rate as is fixed in Table 8 of the Order-in-Council c® 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 the aforesaid Table S without any addition subject to the foregoing provisions of these regulations. The general regulations in force shall apply to every such contract.

SECRETARY FOR EMPLOYERS.

POSITION NOT CHANGED. ' Auckland, January 14. Mr C. Grosvenor, secretary of the . Auckland Employers’ Association, interviewed to-day on the subject of the ' Prime . Minister’s telegram, said that even now it would be impossible for the mining companies to deviate from the attitude they had taken up until they knew precisely what the general conditions of the Order-in-Council were. “ I have no hesitation in affirming there is no likelihood of the mine being satisfied by a merely temporary cover extending only until Parliament meets, declared Mr Grosvenor, “ for in the event of Parliament failing ‘ to the Act the owners would < obviously be saddled with a liability in just" the same manner as if they were now accepting the risks without a medical examination of the men.” Auckland, January 14. Mr W. J. Napier, atfc /rney for the Day Dawn and Norfolk Mining Companies (Tararu Mines), considers, the difficulty to be at abend. The Premier’s promise is, he considers, quiet enough to justify the miners resuming work. Any difficulty which may arise before Parliament meets will in his opinion be infinitesimal, and he does not think the companies ( now have any valid reason for continuing in the stand they took up. There is he believes no risk worth mentioning compared to the injurv which may ari r e to the - miners through a cessation of working operations, and for this reason I the Day Dawn miners have resumed £ work, the company being content to take the risk upbn the Prime Minister’s i assurance. PETITION TO REMOvft DISEASE FROM ACT. Reefton, January 14. The mine owners inform thelnangabua Times in answer to the manifesto of the Miners’ Federation to make an offer that if the Federation, with the approval of the local unions, will join the employers in petitioning Parliament tjp remove pneumoconiosis (miners’ complaint) from the operation of the Workers’ Compensation Act the employers will undertake to i dispense entirely with tha medical examination claims. The mine owners did not attempt to enforce the medical examination till they were met with by the present liability for pneumoconiosis, when they adopted the only known means of preventing unjust claims If the offer is accepted it means that it ends the present difficulty. MEETING OF MINERS. • SOLICITORS TO BE CONSULTED. Wednesday’s "meeting of members of :tbe Thames Miners’ Union made very little if any progress~towards a solution of the present difficulty. Mr A. Sawyer (President) presided and there was a large attendance of members. There was very little to report for the reason that no replies had been received to. telegrams except that from the Minister for Mines, which was published yesterday. As to the present position it was ex- - plained that the Government had offered to take the risks or to indemnify the State Insurance Department against loss. - and this was about as far as they could ; go at present. 'Regarding the manning of ground it . was decided to go into this question i and see what could be done. ( It was again decided to consult solicitors regarding the liability of mine i owners tin the case of contractors and wages men. who had not been paid off. The President and Vice-President i were chosen to interview the solicitors l re the points raised. TELEGRAM FROM PREMIER. RESPONSIBILITY ON MINE OWNERS. Auckland, January 14. A telegram received from the Premier states: The terms of the Government t Accident Insurance Department were fixed before I wired the mine owners on the West Coast, and there is no difficulty in- this respect. I am unable to understand why in view of the fact that • the Government has undertaken that the ( Accident Insurance Department should < affect the insurances for pneumoconisis there should be any further delay on the j part of the mine owners to end the trouble. I have wired them further on the matter this afternoon and Die 1 responsibility is on the owners. I have given instructions for an Order in ■ Council containing the Government Accident Insurance rates to be pnblished in Thursday’s Gazette.