"MINERS' COMPLAINT."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 316, 6 January 1909, Page 2

"MINERS' COMPLAINT."

I'iRMNESS OF THE MEN. ' j By Telegraph - Press AssociationWltaogarci, TuesflftyA!J ilf coal miners in Hikuraiitfi Kiripaka express tlu-ir determination to remain lirin in tlieir decision }iot to undergo mcdicnl examination. Colonel llolgute, managing director, nioe|s the men to-morrow, but there is small nope of- any agreement under tJie circumstances.

A PECULIAR POSITION 1 . Thames, Tuesday. A peculiar position bus arisen in connection witli the ntti'iide of the lliiunes Miners' Union regarding the incdic.il examination. Last night the limine* Branch decided to submit to examiiuition, provided the companies paid the medical fees. Last night the KnriingnI hake Branch of the Thames Miners Union decided unanimously not to | submit to medieal examination, it is | necessary to take votes of both branch-1 cs to ascertain tlie views of the I nion. It is now found that a majority are in favour of refusal. Many of the men at Thames decided to stick to their comrades. Others have gone to work, son!" having certificates. Others have resumed work. In accordance with the Thames resolution carried last night it is possible that those working will be asked to stop. It U doubtful if some will agree to I his. It is also .loubtful if the local companies, some being Strug- , gling concerns, wilrtnkv the men back without medical examination, as the Waihi and Talisman companies have done. Another point is if the men now , working cease work can they lie prose- , cuted for striking? 1 NORTHERN COMPANY' CLOSES i IKUVN.

Anekland, Tiesday. The Northern Coal Co., wMch pays £25,000 yearly in wages and C.'iOOO to UiOOft fill' accident- insurance o(Tcr;d the whole of their accident hsirmce tc the State Olliue.— The olTer vas declined, whereupon the compal^j' jceided to lay up between twenty)'|> and thirty boats employed in their business, pay oil' the men to-day. «;■( anciilor' the vessels in Ihe stream. The company contemplate irranging for supplies of Newcastle coal to pro* I vide for the needs of their cuttonicrs. IXTKIM'I!KTATIOX OF THE LAW.

Wellington, Last Night. The Prime Minister to-day j sent the following telegram to -Mr. 1.. Sample, president of the Miners' Federation: — "In reply to your telegram, ns there is some conflict as to the interpretation of section 10 of the Workers' Compensation Act, the Government, in addition to obtaining the opinions of the Cown l.uw officers, is also obtaining the independent opinion of a high legal outside upon the section. If the opinions do not bear out the intirpretntion put upon the section by employers ami the insurance companies, then the difficulty can be promptly settled." THE POSITION AT ItliKl'TOX. ( 800 -MEN AFFECTED. INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.

Rccfton, haft Night. Matters are remarkably quiet except that, there :uo •iruij'is of n."i' in tl" streets. There is 110 ou; v 1 r.l sign of the deadlock. Rain is fii'lmg and depressing still further th" il pressing situation. The Caledonian miners, referred to last night, were allowed to return to work. Objection v\is taken to them by the Onion ou account of there being two non-unionists included among them. These joined the u.koii and were permitted to work. The mining companies asked the Union if they would allow a caretaker over the mines and batteries. This request \vu- refused, There is no change to leport in the Holding mines. Some baling has been done liv the malingers and superintendents.

Statistics gathered show that over 850 men are affected among the twelve tributors. At the <lolden Fleece only the miners are working. A large number of casual hands are employed. They are not required to submit to medical exnminat"m. Still they did not resume Work. Interesting telegraphic communications between the .Minister of l.abor and O'Regiin are published by the Tl'- JliijHster," "in a lengthy wire, says that the suggestion that tile Government undertake the insurance, -practically means asking the Government to give a blank cheque to cover nil cases of miners' phthisis at the present time, as once compensation is guaranteed, the moment any sign of disorder is proved to exist the Government would be culled on to pay. Jt was impossible, therefore, for the Government to undertake an unknown liability, lie regretted it was impossible to comply with the request that the money and property of the people of New Zealand as a 'whole be used for the purpose, whereas Parliament intended the miner-owner who was receiving the profits of the 111 labor to indemnifv the men from injury caused through disease incidental to the work.

•Mr. Millar saw no way of prcventiii" the trouble, except through both sides waiving the provisions of the cause nffarting the question until Parliament met. If this can't lie arranged, what must be must be. lie was sorrv to hear of the threatened trouble eventuating, but the Government couldn't be placed in a false position. In the course of his reply Mr O'Heguu points out that the liability 's "until incapacity." This must take piaev according to the Act, within twelve months after contracting the disease. Hence the blank cheque is subject to so many endorsements. The risk is absurdly exaggerated. He also considers the case has not been honestly placed before the public. Seeing that 'the subject df the medical examination i 9 to obtain . an indemnity from not onlv miner's disease but from every physical defect, this means that the Act is rendered useless. Kvery man is predisposed (o injury even if the men are contrui|ed out of the miner's disease. The owners would not then be satisfied, but demand complete indemnity under the pulllic that the dillieulty solely rests on miller's complaint, Mr. O'lican commelts strongly on the Government lnsuia;laij)epartinent demanding exaininatioi|~oT coalmiacvs when everyone soop sl|i|}qd ( s,iauiiu a\ou>| o) not- all'ct coalminers. The Government insurance Department has issued a circular to the eoal mine owners of this district cancelling contracts unless a medical examination is held 011 employees now working, to lie ' engaged, or re-engaged. Th^coal iuin- 1 ers here resent the conditions. 1