WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1919, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE MINING BILL. j A SIGNIFICANT DIVISION. j (Special Correspondent.) j Wellington, October 30. The significance of the division on the Coal Mines Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives lay in the indication it gave of the exhaustion of the patience of many of the miners' well-wishers. Tho point at issue was whether or not men who had served no apprenticeship underground should be allowed to work in mines in cases of necessity. The clause was drafted by the Hon. W< D. S. MacDonatd, the Liberal Minister of Mines in the National Government, and was accepted by Sir William Eraser when he succeeded to the Mines partfolio on the withdrawal of the Liberal Ministers from the Cabinet. It had, therefore, no party significance and members on both sides of the House were 'free to vote as they pleased. THE MINERS' PROTEST. Mr. Robert Semple, the member for Wellington South, voiced the miners' protest! The purpose of the clause he insisted, was to fill the coal mines with unskilled labor at times of strikes or lock-outs. An unskilled-man in a mine was a danger to himself and everybody else. The miners would resent the provision very warmly, hnd if it were carired in face of their protests, the outcome would be discontent and trouble. Mr. Holland followed in a similar strain. All the miners asked, he said, was-that no man should toe allowed to take charge of a face in a coal mine till he had had three years' experience. If the Minister persisted the miners' representatives would have to figlit the clause will all the means permitted by the forms of the House. VIGOROUS OPPOSITION. When the Bill reached the committee stage several members of the Opposition voiced their objection to the clause m somewhat more temperate language than the miners' representatives had employed. Mr. Wilfonl had the Huntly disaster fresh in his memory and lie could not remain silent while a clause which would break down one of the safeguards asrainst a repetition of that catastrophe was passed through the House. Sir Joseph Ward helt mnihCTf compelled to oppose the clause- The effect of passing it into law would be to give the Minister power to put any man he pleased, into a mine regardless of his qualifications or experience. The efforts of Parliament in the past had directed towards removing perils frorii the miners' occupation, but the passage of this clause inevitably would increase them. THE DIVISION. Sir William Eraser having explained the need for the provision in other cases than strikes and lock-outs and having reminded his critics that a judge of the Supreme Court would have the final decision of the matter, a division was taken and the clause was carried by 33 to IS. The better disciplined Reformers—doubtless following their own bent as well as observing the rules of the game —voted unanimously with the "ayes," but Mr. Craiaie, Mr. Tsitt. Mr. McCallum, Mr. R. W. Smith, Mr. Wjfty, and the Hon- A. M. Myers, on the other side, separated themselves from their party and al«o .supported the clause, while the Hon. W. 0 S. MaeDonnld and one or two other Liberals abstained from voting. Their attitude reflected the resentment, that has been burnt, into the souls of the public bv the miners' callous disregard of their needs.