THE MINING CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 325, 18 January 1909, Page 2

THE MINING CRISIS.

M.P. AND EMPLOYEES. 'By Tclcgrapb.—Press Association. Wcstport, Saturday. 1 Mr. Colvin, M.P., has forwarded to Heefton u telegram lo Mr. Free resenting being blamed for treating the company unfairly in. not supplying it 'with a eopy of last year's Compensation for Accident Act." lie says that this statement was entirely untrue, as copies were sent to the general manager, not oulv during the session of ■lllOß, but also during the session of '11)07. Ho considers that the stigma (Mr. Free has attempted to place o:i him was unwarranted, unmanly and unjustifiable.

MR. PRYOR AT CIIRISTCIICRC.It. THE EMPLOYERS' ATTITL'DE. Christchiirch, Saturday. Mr. Pryor, secretary of the New Zealand Employers' Federation, who is at. present in town for the purpose of conferring with Mr. S. L. P. Free wilh regard to the trouble in the mining industry, informed a representative of Truth that so far as he knew there was no alteration in the position so far as the mine-owners were concerned. The (ioveruincut proposals did not relieve (he mine-owners in any shape or form in that the temporary cover by the State Department wlieii it lapsed'would leave them with the whole liability, whatever it might be, imposed on them. The mine-owners had desired that the Government should give them some indication of the alterations to be made in the law to meet the position, bill up to the present the Government had not seen their way to do so. I'nless that were done, he was quite at a loss lo see how a setllcini.nl could be arrived at. The claim of (he mi.ieotviicrs for n special session of Parliament to deal with the matter was, to his mind, worthy of more consideration than tire Prime' Minister had given it. The importance of the t rouble" was iii itself sufficient to warrant Parliament being «i11,.,i together. The issues at stake were so great that notl'iin- at all within tlie range of practicability ought to be allowed to stand in tlie way of arriving at a settlement. Mr. Pryor added that he intended meeting Mr. Free this evening on his arrival from Uie AVest Coast and though at present there did not appear to be any way out of the difficulty, he was hopeful that they would lie able to arrive nt some solution so as lo get the mines working without any further loss, of time.

Hegardiii" the modioli] examination of the men, Mr. Prvor said tlmt tire employers still chimed that such nn examination was tin- only wav l.v which they could asoci'tain their acini risk under the Act, and unless Parliament amended the Act so as to provide for a medical examination, or that such examination should he optional, and that '« the. event of any worker ileolininc to he incilically examined such worker hould no| i„. a ,,,,. tn av ., n ~i lnsc flf the protection all'ordod liv tlio Act the present deadlock would continue it is understood that Mr. Free and -;,"■ Irvor will have a conference with ,"' ,r ° s( T | ' w "''l> "tlier (his mnrninn. or tomorrow nnd it is 1,„p,,, U ,at as '<■ n>s"U it will he possihl,. t„ m(lll . t the mines on Monday. ;

TfTtf VRVMIKR AND MIMvOWXEnS. NO I'UlvSll I)KVEI.OI'MK\TS; ' Christchiirch, Last Xighl. iiieie aie , 10 developments in con- <•<"»' will, the mini,,, lro„h|e. "h,''formal conference helwoe, the P,-i Mmistcr and Mvssrs. Free (inine-owne^ iff'osentaLve) »'«! P'WOr (secretary of h- s,, n 1 Pa , 1,, r 1 "as not taken place. Mr. Free, on being interviewed on "'* arrival from Reefton, slated that Vim ", '' "' as • nw '"' l ' '"Utters were '~, " Wh »-W<l nml beyond thai he could say nothing.

AFF-ATRR AT JIKKn'OV. llcefton, Last Xj.,1,1-. Time Till'" i,tlVt ' '"' l,u> l: »»Wil»in " , I ," Ki "," « iMdinß omplovor ™'"'<l;'.v -""l '•li,-ii,,i tin. fae tj,.,i ""'-•.I.. the in 5,,,,,,,,,, connmnl™ ;",, it,"" "v* with, »'t mmimi x..in .nn on „,„U-rially aHVetcl their •'";■ lia.l heen thought '<; iu.(),niii(.,i,| work in the mine on tteoVs.lay next. I„,| ,;„„, the ,r,°" •i;l";H was put mi ||„. ~.H O ], »'"•"! timt ii wuilll , roUnl ;'•„,: 2"' ." r ""'•' lll « I'l'-is of ili- em--1»°>«,1». Ilu expressed himself as f.| V uiiralilo to poiiiiiionc-inir work. Tlip ore-r,tS:;,"-"'--^^-ii

Ui, ■ t ' •''; t '"""'" 1 "' 1 wiLll "i is y,e«. iifj. „,,„( l 0 |. nmv , imv ;inv )«<■ mil taken now will .ihV( lfyi,|,-,|ivo mi MiM. 1... reopou.,l tl„.,i. Tin- ,0.1-'»' '»' J"'l'-«l W.,,,1,1 I M . ; ,„„,v;,t„ ~, Ml"; liiftli rale nr iiN,„.„ 11( .,.. Hi.- liianjiuhua ■l'hiic« slates ilial I!,--|'-''<w»l "f Hi.- in-urnm,- r-0,„ t „,,-.i.., lo >' «''iltlncr companies will !„„„,. niHiisi-lvi-s anil a. There - nliioi- or loss supervision n< r ,•■,!«■ I'li.VMKil (ilnos, of workers ~y,„ i,' ',,.. medical examination he Misled on.

WIOSITORT .MIN'KIJS P,I*ISTIX(; EXA.MIXATIOX. AVostpnrl, I.ust .\i K ii( A a nieelm-of Hie Xj-ukuwau I'liion .llhn ■l\i.»tp»r|.S( w kl.. I . C0m,,,,,,,.) „„ Sntnrdav il \va« resolved nol |„ undergo medical <'X<)Hiiiiitti«>n. | n ,|„i,i-. >.„ Urn meeting expressed Hie'opinion Unit tliey were following the view of the Prime Minister.

-\X ABORTIVE COXI-'EIiKXTK. Auckland, Last Xi-»lit A conference of Hie directors at (he Tauplri Coal Company and Waikato .Miners' Union was held yesterday, wly.-;, tlio men decided to remain flrm'nnt! to "'fuse to go to work till the directors accede to their demands. Anothor conference will he held on Tn'esdiiv, wnen it is hoped a sottloment will be arVived (it, . ■ . , .. • -