"MINERS' COMPLAINT."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 318, 8 January 1909, Page 3

"MINERS' COMPLAINT."

STOPPiNU THE IMPORTATION OF COAL. Auckland, Thursday. The Star's Huntly correspondent wiles that the Miners' Federation is 'cabling to Newcastle urging the I nioiiists to stop supplies oi coal for New 'Zealand companies. The Federation is also arranging 11 conference of Unions at Auckland with a view to stop the unloading of imported coal. It is stated there is a probability of •outhern coal miners being called out fci sympathy with the northern coal miners' determination not to submit to medical examination. The Waikato Miners' Union decided to cite the company for creating a Jock-out and having failed to give re-, qui>ite notice. MATTER* IX REEFTON. Reefton, Thursday. Matters in regard to the deadlock are very quiet. Hope is being centred on the Government being able to arrange with the Insurance Department. POSITION CRITICAL. INDUSTRIES SERIOUSLY HAM . PERED.

Auckland, Last Night. At a conference of the coal-mine owners to-day, it was resolved to send the following telegram to the Premier and the Minister for Mines:—"At a meeting of all directors of all coal companies in Auckland 'province held to-day, it was resolved to intimate to you that unless the Government promptly intervene in the matter of the existing trouble with miners the whole of the mines must remain closed, and must suffer irreparable Injury, resulting in great financial loss to the community generally. Already large orders for Newcastle coal have gone forward. Many industries dependent upon our coal supplies are seriously affected, and a large portion of the is already laid up and the The position is critiWORK AT THE WAIHI MINE AFFECTED. I

Waihi, Last Night. N Pumping operations at the Waihi mine have been suspended owing to the shortage of coal. The suspension docs not affect the general work of tlie mine, and the batteries continue to crush as usual. . NO TROt'RLE IN DUNEDIN. Dunedin, Last Night. Nothing tserious luis eventuated locally in connection with the new Compensation Act. The coalmine owners wi'l hold a meeting tomorrow to decide on the course ot action regarding the medical examination of the men. The employers for their own sake are in favor of insisting on medical examination, ibut they recognise such a course would , precipitate trouble. It seems not uulikely that the Otago employers wrl j decide not to ask for medical examination, but to accept the risk in the hope I that Parliament will amend the new | law. ■/ j

* Enquiries show that painters do not regard the position seriously. Mr. Gillies, president of the Master Painters' 'Association, says he knows of only one case of lead-poisoning in 28 years, and he does not think insurance companies are justified in asking for medical examination or for an increase in rates. - SYiMPATHY tfOR THE MINERS. Wellington, Last Night. ' The Wellington Tirades and Labor Council tonight passed a resolution endorsing the action of the Miners' Federation in refusing to submit to medical examination, and assuring the miners of moral and financial support. t REINFORCING THE REEFTOX i POLICE. •Wellington, Last Night. IProtests against the drafting of police to Reefton in connection with the mining difficulty were forwarded to th'j Prime Minister through the Hon. A. R. y Guinness. Sir Joseph, after enquiries, forwarded the following answer:—"ln reference to your telegram re suggested massing of police cons-table!* at Reefton. I find upon enquiry from the Justice Department that this* is not correct. 'Vou state that six coustables ar.? proceeding to Reefton. I am advised by the Department that seven constables were, at the request of the mhie- . owners, told off for special duty at tie* batteries, namely, one to each, and ihut the same number of constables, namely, seven., were sent to replace those thus removed from their ordinary duty. This is a matter of the ordinary mftHinMration of the police. It is not directed by tiie Minister in charge or by the (.Jovernment, and there is no reflection either directly or indirectly upon the miners, for whom 1 also entertain the "highest opinion, and would not be a party to reflecting upon them in any , wav.'' I

. ACTION" BY THE GOYERXIIKXT. ■MIXERS ASKED TO ACCEPT ; EXAMINATION. Wellington, Last Night. A lengthy telegram dealing with the difficulty which has arisen on the West Coast and elsewhere o\vi;ig to the employers' insistence of a medical examination of miners was sent by the Prune Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) to-day to Mr. R. Semple, president of the New Zealand Miners' Federation. Sir Joseph suggests that the miners should submit themselves to n medical examination l>y the Government medical, officers, which would be without cost, for pnenmonoeoniosis alort*, and he details the position taken up by the Government Insurance Department in relation to •the risk described in clause 10 of the Workers' Compensation Act. The telegram reads: — "R. Semple, K«|., President Miners i Federation, Reefton. "The Government has obtained leg 1" advice upon the points of law, and since receipt of the same the whole matter has been reconsidered bv the Government Accident Insurance Department. The Department reports, that it is unable to accept the unknown responsi-, liility involved in the proposal to iimuie | miners without medical examination. Second, the Government Accident Insurance Department points out that a preliminary medical examination cirectuallv avoids all trouble, and that the miner who gets a clean bill of health establishes ipso facto his claim to compensation within the statutory limits in the event of his being subsequent y incapacitated. The Department also directa attention to the fact that " 15 quite impossible at the present tune for miners in any part of the xor\A to get their lives insured for ioOO fine hull flred pounds) at death (the benefit provided under tlie workers' compensation Jaw) without medical examination to Bee whether they are free from phthisis or aay otter disease, and that a similar course is necessary in the case ot applications to join friendly societies; and: further, there is no more indignity involved in miners being asked to submit themselves to medical examination than in the cases referred to. iliinli., I would suggest for the consideration of the miners that they agree to medical examination provided it is earned out bv the Government medical officers, such medical ex.iinilialioii to be l»r piieuinonoconiosis only, lourthlj, the only other course that suggests itself '' that pneuiiionocoiitosis should be struck out of flw legislation altogether at t.ie next meeting of Parliament. 1- fth >, stens are being taken to have the interpretation of clause 10 defined by the Supreme Court under the Declarator. Judgments Act of last session and on receipt of thin the ma ter will be further considered in order to meet position, if the judgment given enahlt the Government to do s»-

The Times understands tlmt the to obtain an interpretation of the Jaw have already been put in hand, and that ft hearing of the Labor Department s application for an interpretation ot clan, 10 is likely to take place within a k" days. ___

We have smashed prices down and offer you these:-Ladies' ten four-bar shoes, 7s lid; ladies' tan glace bai sloes, 10s fld; ladies' tan glace button lioots, Us Cd to 20s; children s tan ba> shoes (10 to 13), 5s lid; gents bal•morals, 8s 6d; gents' shooter-tight,, •15s 6d; gents' glace kid wide nei.s. 18s 6d to 20s; gents' tan boots in glacej and ivillow calf; ladies' gjaoi button shoes, 5s 6d; children's sandals, 2si.trl; *hoe-ettes ra black, tan, and white from % 6d.—A.B.C. Boot Company, Devon- ■ ,■ <tTeet.—Advfc. „ Mr. Archibald Ross, Wangamu, says: "Some time ago, when my vi»c ' " wgw suffering from a very severe attack tilt Indigestion, a friend advised her to ■v; ttv Chamberlain's Tablets. .She. had taken them a short while when .X, l completely cured and we are "ul ~ a bottle in the chemists and