"MINERS' COMPLAINT."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 320, 11 January 1909, Page 3

"MINERS' COMPLAINT."

-■ * ' THE GOVERNMENT'S ACTION. • By Telegraph.—Press Association. Thames, Saturday. The Government's decision with respect to the miners' risk has given great satisfaction locally, and relieved what promised to become a serious post ion. Reefton, Last Night. On receipt of Government information that they endorse the mining risks undertaken by Insurance Department, and after ft conference with the miners' committee, the employing companies wrote the secretary of the Miners' Union at Reefton that the matter was still iuuKt consideration by the mine-owners. Their difficulty was that the proposal to insure till Parliament meets is merely palliative, and before accepting that the mine-owners want to know what legislative change the Government proposes to make, with the object of settling: the dilliculty. The mine-owners do not wish to ell'cct merely a temporary settlement, and re-open the whole c|iiestion in ,',ix! months time. Hence the mine-owners accordingly despatched a wire asking for an outline of the pro]K>sed legislation? tlcalina with the Act as a guide to ga o;i. sP re-ply has yet been received. Last night over three hundred miners assembled at the Princess Theatre and were addressed by Mr. Scrapie, of Greylnouth, and other members of the Miners' Federation. Matters were placed before them, and it was agreed to leave the. management of the affair in the hands of the Miners' Federation. Voteof thauks to the Federation officers, and Mr. P. J. O'Regnn and D. Conlan were passed.

The situation is now growing in intensity. Yesterday the men were delighted at the prospect of resuming work. The dispute has been most dis> tasteful to all. They considered that the difficulty was the medical examination, and that alone. The action of the Government wa9 cordially approved, and many who were about to go away stayed hoping for a settlement. The disappointment in town was extreme at the failure o{ negotiations. Many workers recommend the sweeping away of the Ait which has caused the trouble, white many others, on the other hand, hold that" the Act was necessary in order to protect the victims of'miners'complaint.' The employers hold that they are wilb ing to accept the Government offer and employ the men at once, only it would be no use to re-open the question six .months hence. But according to them the Act presses too heavily on the industry, and will cripple every mining venture at all fluctuating. Consump tion, according to Dr. Gill's report, is shown to be very prevalent in Rieeftoa among both sexes. Consumption in miners is liable to turn to pneumoconi osis, and without a medical examination there is no chance of detecting this«/ Further, there is no guarantee that the. Act as amended will meet the situation especially as. strong exception in labor circles is taken* to clause 17. P"> far, employers are determined t'aat no work shall take place to-morrow a? hoped. Only one mine will be work ing, the Golden Fleece, owing to its tributors falling in with the Government Insurance Department risk covered by the Government. At. last night's meet ing, they were consequently allowed to tengage men. ' The men have now been a fortnight last Thursday without work.