CRISIS AT THE MINES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 403, 12 January 1909, Page 5

CRISIS AT THE MINES.

. STILL. NO PEACE. ... —. .. , WHAT EMPLOYERS WANT TO KNOW.

EXISTING POLICIES. (B7 TELEQEAPH~PRKfIS. ASSOCIATION.) . Reofton, January 11. Tho employers informed a representative ~ of. the, " Inangatiua. Times" .that they were, seeking further information, from, the Government with'regard' to the measure likely; to bo proposed to amend the Workers' Cop-. , ponsation Act. Meanwhile tliey had not ro:,Lceiyed any communication fromthe.Govern-. ment Accident Insurance Department, and. •believed that ,the. Department could not., •undertake fresh risks iinless such action wasj: approved by- an Order-in-Council. ■ r ■ The-.employing companies, insured-as they, were in different offices, also wanted to know if the. Government would take over the special risk of disease,"or were the employing companies .to forfeit their policies with other insurance companies and transfer to .tlio . Government.. Department. - The-employers .stated .that .they,, may read v Clause 10 as Mr. Semple (president of tho Miners'. Federation) did, but , a 'Wellington , lawyer, consulted as to his .opinion, gave, it: ten sheets of foolscap:- How, then, were ordinary; employers to read it? ' The Miners'.' Union informed the ."Times" 'that . there was no change in the The 'union "was "simply waiting on;the-e®-ployera. .. ~. •. There are still a j good many men in town, r ,The . against'-'jthe, companies for. de< laying., a settlement' is very strong, and; is freely expressed. r . ATTITUDE OF EMPLOYEES. READY TO CONCLUDE SETTLEMENT.' ' (Si.' TEtBOUArii —ruEss association.) •> Reef ton, January 11.. . Tho press was not admitted at last Satur day's meeting;of r the'.unian,' but the following bas been ,handed in as-tbetext. of .the .res.ohi ; . tions adopted:— ; . " l. ;Tl}at, in'-view of ;the : action of the Go> . vernment, -.this, meeting of the Inangahua,.Miners' Iridustrial TJni.o.n hereby theeiecutiVo of~ tho New-'Zealand Federation; "of 'Miiiers-'to -arrange a settlement, of the • existing -. difficulty on- .the. terms outlined in the Premier's telegram." .. ' . . • "2. That, inasmuch as the.proposal of the Government doe 9 not embody a medical test, this, meeting declares that, as far as the miners-are ;concerned, .the<-existing difficulty, is at an end:" '' " ...: „ "3. That' this meeting cordially appreci - ates the action of ith'o Premier- in. propounding a practical solution of the. difficulty; that has arisen, and with reference to his .state- - •irieiit that the Government relies oh.the hon- ' our of miners ;that, none but. bona-fide_claims shall be made under Section 10, desireß_to assuto; him that 'the confidences of .the Go vernment will not be misplaced.

i NORTHERN LABOUR RESOLUTJONS. v■ ;• V- V-. ; ' :———- '• it' '.j \ THAMES BY-ELECTION., 1 MINERS' CANDIDATE WANTED. (BY TELEOBAPn.—EPECUI. -.AuoKlanti, ;January U.'i"' >- : A ineeting under-the-auspice's'of. the AuckTrades and Labour Council, to discusa • the mining trouble, was held in Auckland on -Saturday- night,"- when a large number, of 1 delegates frow. tho local labour unions and from the Waihi,-V--Hunt-ly,:Vand ~Kmpak» ' Minors' Unions, attended. , secretary of the ; Miners' Federation (Mr. R., Manning) was also, present.' The meeting was not opeij to tho .press. . . . , . ' ' A good deal of discussion took-plaoe, tee miners' delegates-contending.that the trouble was an .insidious attempt to nullify their efforts in getting Clause 10 into the Act. Ihe contracting-ou£. section came in for a lot o£ adverse, the, opinion was freely. 6xpressed / 'that'. ; it A should'-never 'have -been allowed in the Act. Some.of .the speakers held that the Government, which included as. Minister for Mines the:member;for a large mining district,. wa,s-' to blame for . rushing legislation through without looking ahead to see' what-the effect-of it would be.. It was explained that the miners .had- asked Jor Clause 10, and that they intended doing their best to see that. it was kept in. Tho following resolutions -wero .carried: : : (1) ".That .this meeting of. delegates, representing,the Auckland, unions, . congratulates the Minors' Federation upon 'the firm stand it has taken in the present crisis. -We rejoice to know that they have come out of tlio fight: with honour and credit to themselves, and with added prestige to unionism m the ' Dominion, and we assure the federation that 'iii'-ahy ';SUcli struggle it will have the moral and-activc support of the unions represented .at .this meeting."^.._ . .. ! (2) L " That,; in "order ■' to minimise any attempt of-Parliament to delete from the Act 'that" port-ion of the Clause 10 _ relating to : niiners' diseases, etc.,. this meeting strongly Urges the Miners'. Federation and'the Tnames Miners' Union in .particular, to run a bona-fide-miners' .representative, for Parliament aj ,the. ,9p.suing. by-eleqtion fof the"Thames seat.' ' Among other matters' dealt with ;at :th*''> meeting was .the "Prime Minister's message as to'the'. State -taking : tlie . risk in connection: :with l iminers' idisease.rv lt-.was-considered _bj the-miners'-representatives that, the. positio:.,. was now satisfactory. The solution of tb trouble was looked "upon an a victory bot! for the unions and the employers, as ■■thty. Government. had' backed ' down in this instance, as they-.had.-.done, ,QU.,tlio teaoherr : salaries question. . BLOW AT NEWCASTLE COMPETITION. : MINERS' CO-OPERATION. jdtt. Tisr.EOiiAru—•i , KESs : ASsociAfioS-rCorYKiGHT.)_• Sydney, January 11. The Newcastle Miners' Federation, in response to a -cable■ message, from .the.New... MijiergH federation, has adopted a resolution: pledgfng assistance to . the New : 'ZeaTarid.:min6rs, and undertaking to'at Once' co-operate, V.ith . the; waterside workers with a ' view,-to, cutting off! supplies: of coal to New : Zealand., ■ •" . . . What steps the federation proposes shall.be,taken'to carry the resolution into effect are, not- disclosed.- • -

' 'THAT'fiBJEtJT SURRENDER. STINGIN&, .THE "PRESS." (BY TKI.ECUArn. —SPECIAL COHRESPOMJRNT.I Christchuroh, January 11. .Both --papers mako; - reference to the Government^'-action concerning the piining (crisis.',i.The. "Press ,? ; declares that what, nas happened is only another illustra-, jtionjof tho fact, long since "patent .'to close"' Observers,that Sir' Joseph Ward " may appear .'firm''.and strong up. to a • certain point,. but. when he is oneo cornered-ho,caves in. It is significant/.that .' "the"present surrender ioccurred after '-'the- new ; additions to the Cabinet., - These additions were supposed;to' strengthen" the '.Administration',' but evidently .tho new memb'ers'li'ayp deprivedit of.'the. last: semblance;of-backbpno it may. liavp previously;' possessed. .-.'lt is'-npw-,cle(^"tfiai';»ny ; .imibmst..' scotiori-'has;only,.to liold a.pistol.at thb-lleaii'. .of get.- any. demand it',' likes to'make; This lesson will not bo t-hrown-away, and we ventiiro'vto prophesy that.'be- ; foro very, long,: we'. shall seo another section layipgt claim ,'spMial concession "or* advantage at tho.cost of tho'-taxpayers' "as a;' .Wbole.-'; Previous.'' to,'the, recent general eleo- -' tion a numbpr,.,of •.employors .met'togqthW In/.various parts of thocountry,: and urged the.Opposition to sink its' identity anil support Sir Joseph Ward, urging that ho Iriignt' be -safely,trusted to resist'the dom-mdv of'extreme 'Labourites'and; Socialists. Wo> wonld like to know-'what those gentlemen now think of Sir Josoph, Ward as a bulwark to ho' relied ,upon. Meanjvbilq wo are;. not sii'rprised to find that tlio. mwing companies interested are by no mtV-iis satisfied with »)io position,.; Sir. Joseph .Ward's surrender, ab-ject,as-it'is, cannot "at-prcsent' ovdn bo siiii' •td'hava the morit of baring'-' settled the difficulty

"THE MEN HAVE HAD THEIR WAY."

BUT NO ONE IS SATISFIED. The -'Lyttelton Times" remarks: - "Tho reasons for the action of the Government in regard to tho mining dispute are no clearer . to-day ■ than they- wero -on.Saturday.-.- No. adequate explanation.has been.offered/but there is:a statement from, the Hon. J.,A. Millar suggesting tlat Government was' , anxi-ous-only, to put an end to the deadlock; We can understand and; Appreciate its anxiety to save tho mining, industry from a continuity of the costly .-dispute, but the principlo involved seems to us to-bo. too important to be sacrificed. The Government is. laying itself open to, criticism on morei thansone side. Its usb of the Insuranco Department,soems to us to bo.very ill-advised,- and not.even tho promise > that Parliament. will indemnify ,it against loss will relievo the policy-holders _of their anxiety .if the v Department can be induced to depart from a polioy dictated by: business caution, and common sense. . Its : security may bo easily prejudiced. The insurance companies are already, complaining of-tho; Government's action,.and_ it appears to . .us with ..reason.-".. This indemnity, if, it ..is sound; should be.offered to .all,the companies issuing mining policies. .' : It is not' even certain that, the Government's generosity will end the deadlock.,, 'Iho mine-owners are very naturally seeking a definite statement" of the -Government's intentions, 1 and they may very well, urge • that, as the workers have been given their way now, the representations ..of, the proprietors should bo given weight in the, amendment: of tho -legislation. . Mr. Millar,tells.us that tho.outlook was bad,,and that a large number of men would, have been thrown out of work by a continuation of the dispute,' but: it docs .not appear to. have, oc.'iinn^rl that ,the, resppn-/ Bibility for this. chcck to the mining industry rested upon the men, who wantonly, resisted a very natural demand. The men have had: thoir ; wayj. but • it, may prove .to bo, a. costly victory,, and .the Government lia's not' ■evjeh'the'.' assurance :-"that"-:| l it's/^<pqiap^Bsiptt% ,, haa'';; Saved;the;situation. 'Xjv

A LECAL OPINION. / , BY MR. SKERRETT, E.G. .Tho' Advisory Board of tho Now Zealand > Employers' Federation has .obtained ~ from ■ Mr. 0. E.' Skerrett, KiC./ the, Mowing .legal opinion on points coqeernpd,.in .the . present deadlock fin the mining industrj ; (1) Section 10 of. The Workers'- Compensation ■ Act,- 1908, is an extremely -difficult. section to /■ construe. TheiLegislatiire ; appeara ,not. to have adopted tha provisions of _ Section 8 of The EneUsh Worker?- .Compensation ~Actj:l9o6, C.58, air though there are . to. bei,found in Section 10 " nianyi traces - of the laiigTiage, ; employed in the Imperial Statute. So much change has, however,; beenmade;\in- thf language. 1 of -the'statutb I "" .that the, provisions of the'. Imperial' "Statute of'the. former '£'■} statute.^ : : ; r s>-w.i;•'■>.W ,v ; <" .(2) I think; it better that I should avoid for .., the present', any- controversial; and should state as: clearly; asliabilities ,'it may 7 be ".claimed ' "■ mineownefsi '■ will' '."incur \ : i.\-' : .niiderV;the!:prbjisi6nßv6f:-.the'''''statate.l shall . lator. on express my . own • views o as to , the con-: struotion: of Section..lo. :; '•:.•••. v',-;. 'l,' '. ; .■:'' A mineowner* employing., a worker becomes • liable to ipay in following . ' events Jlfv the?.worker'has " contracted phoniuoconio'sis" within .twelve months previous " ; r to - the : " date - of the: mirier'srdisablement'; ■ (b) ,• if incapacity/ of; death Voflltlitfv) worker Afr.om; ••fi' - happens'more - than', twelvemonths >.. after theworker kas-ceased, tabo.employed.by V ; :; - themineowner, then , the' mineo'vvner ■ is '.not '■■ liable under the Act; (c). but; if incapacity has. Wi: existed within i twelye ■■after''lflie; jvqrkeiJ has ceased-to, be.employed ..by, the mineowner, then, : in ■.the. case; of .death,; liability, still'sub- '- V.'-'leists; ;altli(iigh tho death; m ay' bcciir: more; than twelve-months after 'the -worker 'has l ceased/'to . .; bo employed by the. mineowner. It: will-be 1 ; seen;that,. to "entitle jthe ;Worker;to ;■; ■ (compensation under .-Section .10.ho. must;-be .able to jestablish ;that-, .he.'^cbntraced "J'the ':' disease - within'' twelve mbnths.previbnaM the date of VK-'his'faisabiement;.;.r;understand\that '--it-' is''ex-; v without,.medical'examination tb detect'tho first symptoms bf the .disease, and V ; therefore ;'without:;'meaical -examination mine- ; owners will bo'largely in'tho hands of 'workers and'unable,';:oxc'ept sin iunusual trovert their . statements ,as ■ to the ; time in • which they.contracted the disease. . - 1 understand' 'that the disease,-r .however, is V ; of slow; development, and; it is ' in only exceptional •' cases that ■ 'incapacity,' or ■■ death -, supervenes'within twelver months., from the 1 , first,: con- .'■.'■ traotihg tho. disease. . ' ! v -■ I' understand 1 that it is proposed by.the Gov- :: Co isstte ;-.to ..- '-mineowners' accident policies indemnifying mineowners against liability undor Section 10, • for a'period not-yet fixed, and;tho iGovernment, proposes to indemnify: tho; Government; Insprance Commissioner against loss by. reason, of , the issue:of : these -policies.-'-No information has vet been, .vouchsafed as. to "the rate.of. premiuni' ■.A to 'be : charged,^^';nor ; . is ;,the. ,perio;d: bf ; cover. yet • fixed, but the period' will probably;*bei ■;d"siiffi- ' cient tirae ; to : enable . the to; make such ameiidmciiis of the -6tatute"as- commend ■ '.. themselves to the; Government. ■ .It, is. probable .' that the Government --Insurance ; Coinmißsioner 'will have;,to, (procure. theiiGpyernor iniCbuncil ' to make regulations the issue ■ of : ? rbpbsed';:pplicies ;; and;fimgxthe' rate of premiiuns..- * *..,, .. .. * " . ' • " -It;;'must,, ■howevCT;.;'be t! : ,that tlio ' proposed policy 'of, insurance: covering a , fixed period "is -absolutely "useless',-to" mihe- ;■;. owners ■ unless(a) > The polioy covers tho liability of the employers in tho case of .incapacity '. or/dea'thrduring twelve months after tho worker has ceiLSE-d td be employed^byitho i employer or ■ after the expiry .of the. period,of cover, and (b) ' : - unless'.the: policy. ;.cbvers the lability''of ; the employer in the oase ,'of; death-' arisihg- at. any time, after: tho worker ■ has been incapacitated, -if ,such: incapacity,takes'place^withinitwelve months after he'.has ceased;' to be' employed by :' the mineowner;.-; : : ; Wh'en the. period, covered, by-the, policy, has expiredithevposition- will; be the -same ■ as 1 it -is to-day,;.exoept so' far. as it- may '-bo af- ,..: >i fect?d, by,;the. iiewvlegislatiohV '"What' the-, new ;; legisla,tion.may' be'.;one: cannot.' prophesy,' but ;i£vthe' remaihs -thei'same a;§; to : day the mincoKiiers cannot continue the employ-; of'their'workers ■withbutimedical-exanlina- .> tio'n; if;' upon feh : medicaU' examination a worker is ascertained to be suffering from pneu- ". moconiosis it would' not ?be prudent to. retain v himi in tho employment.; of the; mineowner,: tiii-less'the-worker; contracts -.ojitVpf ; ;th6.iprbyisi6iis ■;the; i ;statute;, under.^Section f -\ If ; a" worker's; emplbjTOent'was . . then tho position would bo that the Govern-'.-meht -Insurance' Cbmmsaoner."wduld' ; be -liable under his;policy:'for 'incapacity'or':.death:!tak- : ingplace, within ..twelve: -months:- from'-, tho ter- .;.:;. ; .mination. Of ;suoh'/.'employment :(if,;. the.', disease ,■ had .been contracted - within; twelve .'months from .; ; such,: incapacity.or. death),", or-;i£: incapacity' ocKi:l.;cnrred.Vwithin l j;w'elye months from his ceasing ■~ to'be so emploJ-ed.and..death followed,at'any . subsequent period. • . ',' v l ' -■"'■'; ■'. ■■■■■":'• ■ :- lit:; is .difficultvto-see -how- 1 either mineowners : ■ or- insurance co'mpknies / can'; possibly, dispense .;: with'vthe ."periodical ■.. examinatibni. ibf .miner's v at,- present; framed.At pre- :. • sent' mineowners are only•; liable,; it,, the' disease is. contracted Tnthin;twelve; monthsjprevious to VAthe'date' of; disablement, 5 and : only. continue ,to •Vf be. liable ;if death or,-,incapacity; occurs; within tivelvo months after 'the' worker* ceases 'to b€ elnployed- by-.-the' employer.'-v-Withbut. medical . ixamination it is plainly impossible'to : toll wher - the,:', disease , has ' . been contracted,;; andit,; iis therefore essential for the employers and the £ ; , insurance companies .tbjhaye ia, peppdical-exaitii; v ; uanon' of. the .workera for, the ; of ascer- ' -. taining . whether/..the.','' disease contracted .. within, twelve mohths of So-long,'therefore; as' ; 'the"-law'remains'in iti present condition' it;seems .. itapossiblo tc -'dispense -with -a-: periodical examination' of ' thi - . men. •,Directly..,the i Government.:insurance poli :.:■.' ' cies-;. expire. the-- position-, will .;bp,;- exactly . th( Barne ; ;as it-i5...t0,-day., The', same .questions..wil . aripo :a'nd ;tho ..samev precautions wiir.be, neces : ;. Baryj'.'except,' of"c6urse,. s'b far;'as 'they '.in'ay "b( ; ; affected by the;.iiew, ; legislation/'ythe' nature';bl "' which it is' impossible" to predicate; ''' ;..''' (3) I now turn, to 'the matters;which -arb-of ;: ■:'.'. lontroversial nature, - and.•.which, .can only .b' lettled by judicial decision..: Section 10, of ,thi ; New;.:Zealand-;Statute : .is vvery--.;ambigubusl: ,:. .worded, and may.be thus,analysed '.; employment:' to which this Aot:' applies i "<i: worker:f^(a)''contracts : withih; : itwelvb ,mo'hth: ' : "provibns i; to ..the date, of the disablement' an; ': :■"■ disease, to which 'this'-'sebtibn;' applies and' th' . '-'disease: is due to; the.-natiire;;of the employ ment; and (b) the incapacity or death of th worker results from that disease—compensatioi nhall bo payable as if : the'; disease was a.per ■ 'gonal-injury, by accident arising out of ana ii the course , of-: that -'.'employment,and all ,th -.' . • provisions'of;, this,' Act ;shall.:'apply; ,accordihe;lj : eubjcct, however,; to the : pronsions^of this. set tion." ■'■: ' ■'- - : ; *-■ - " ' ' ■ "Tho question is whether'tho words 'Tf m an ■ (lnploynient to-wbich' this' Act' applies" ar dwributivo and apply only to each particula »inployuioiiti- -It .i8 : to be observed'that m Set liun 3 (tho main section'Of'th'o/Act) tho ldent: .■■■"■■'wl words are used,- and it is clear,- that th mrdri - ui.. Unit secfaon oro used.".distributive! ; Mid ttppN U> oach particular employment. 1 tho saw?' words are.- used in Section. 10, di: : then', in order to entitle;the works 'b- conipensatio'n, ho must provo 'three thins Tiainclv:(l) that'he"contracted'tho"disease^whil; - ■' in tliat employmont,-(2) that he'contracted tt

diseaso within twelve months from disablement, ;and (8) that the incapacity or- death of the -.worker resulted from that disease. If the Iworlcer did not '.contract the diseaso in the particular employment, the employer is not liable .at all even'without the oontracting-out projvisioiis' of; the' Act. - If the worker did contract ;thev disease' while- in a particular' employment,' the' employer:, continues liable after , the 'man to ! be: employed'by him only if the in!capacity . or, ; .death happens ; within twelve months after the.worker naß'ceased to. be-em? ployed by tho employer. l I 'am' of opinion , (although the question ■is open to doubt) that the above is the true construction - of 1 Section 1 10, and that a -worker,, to bbxentitled to'compensation, must establish :that he contracted the disease in the employment of' the employer from whom lie claims compensation. -I' think that,the words "in any employment" used, in tho section are used tributively, and apply to' eaoh particular employment, .and. not generally to tho class or form; of employment innvhich ;tho worker, is engaged,.; :- I . think the,'words are used: in, the same senf;c both in Section 3 and in Section 10.

. This; view, is hot,, only supported, ' but is al-, most rendered, necessary .by .the circumstance; tliat the..employer who is liable to pay compensation is-the employer who employed the worker, when ;he : contracted the disease. -This is. made certain by; the provisions of Subjec-tion'-.'2,.'which/assumes that tho employer: in. whosej'employment the, disease: was contracted continues, liable, notwithstanding that. incapa- : city or death does not result until .after fho ; ,worker has ceased to be in his employment, and limits-the duration - of- that liability, ,to. a 'period'.-of 'twelve.'monthsifrom the . time, the worker, has 'ceased to :.be .in his employment. The employer :in whose .employment the worker is'atithe'.'iime.of:his'-incapacity or death is not Necessarily:;the; employer-liable 'under the. Act. only-,liable, if i the disease was contracted by"theVwdrker'.'in.'his';employment.••.■lt' is, I think, .impossible-to ,hold the employer in, whose employment. the . worker is. when incapacity or, death happens liable, because, if that were the'construction of Section'lo, it would ,exclude i altogether- the' -liability', of the employer-im whose, employment the, disease -was contracted, and- .wbnld' De. wholly- inconsistent with Subsections % and; 3: of "Section 10. Moreover/ Section 10 makes the : disease (resulting in incapacity or death) and-.iiptCthe.incapacity or death, itself eqisiyalent:to':"pprsonal injury by ,accident, arising . 'out','of - and in;'.the. course of the employment." . . . ~'... ::- : : Subsection 5 is consistent only with this view, for .there .provision is.made for the apportionment of.liability between two employers where the 1 .disease',,has by 'a gradual procerai.. ; ::lt'..may.'be:,difficult to give a meaning to'Subseotidn s,',but,clearly_.enoiigh it points to the-employersi,in,',„whose "employment the disease-was-gradually/contracted as -the persons exclusively liable.to pay. compensation.: • It is trne : that my ..view is somewhat inconsistent with Section,l7 of. But, never--, .theless, Seotion'lO is'the governing clause, and mnst'regulates the rights; of the worker anil the obligations .-of the employer. I do not, ever,'.think-that Section. 17 is wholly. incdnsisT tent .-with':myconstruction; because "the .:3iseases,.'iEferrea:,to.: in Section 10 are curable vand Section ; 17 enables the ; worker:; to contract. out of the benefit :pf;:the.i6tatute. in respect of the possible recurrence of the diseaso. Moreover, the.'section:.would;enable the seconder subsequent employer'referred to in Subsection 5 to protect himself: by .permitting the -.worker to' contract,-,Jiimself,.o.ut.,of, the, provisions ; of. the statute; •j. . .. v % -. : : -' WV,'.Some'question,,has been raised as.-, to. whether; in-order; to (entitle: the worker, to compensation it.is.necessary that the disease should have ..been/contracted, within,,.twelve: months previous to :the date oi disablement.' It will -be from':-my:'previous.-opinion ,that I am clearly'. of opinion , that: it is. f'(s) The question 'arises' whether, in order\to entitle-'the; worker: to [compensation, he; must, : have i eontracted'-'=the; disease *. sinco the : passing Act. 1908, so as tov;ex6ltde'.> from - the : benefit of- the ' statute' .'workers; who; we're already' suffering from , tlio disehse. v at : ' 'bf' the passing :of the I 6 t'at'nte.;;.i' Thisquestion , is. one, of ! . considerabl o \ l dhly be 'settled -.by,.judicial debision.-jvl' amy'jhowever,.-of opinion, that.the ActVonly'applied-' to'cases,in which.;.tlie : .disease; has 'beenVc'dntracted;-since , the ;passipg , of, tlii Act; >:Althbu'gh'ithe' : A.ct 'may be said to beV.iin Act';ihteh'dorl, tC'c'dnfer' benefits upon -: workers,, yet-heverthelcssMt imposes corresponding obliga-' tidns"dh 'employers. Jdo not think that it is. consistent with'.the- prihciples of construction that a-liability should be imposed, upon 1 em-. jrioyers; iiS'-respect, of' a disease: already .'con-.-tractedrUnleM'-thd; intention to- do so is clearly manifested'.'by the statute..l ; can find no. words; in "the, statute/from-. whicl\; it can: be inferred that' ; the^tktht'e'Hi,. have, no other. operation than'; a,prospective .operation. . Moreover,- : as have .said°?'mj BjiirLibff is ' that - tho' basis: or reason for, imposing the liability to pay compensation is the contracting, of the disease and not the-in'oapnoityj or death J which results from it. .If: this.,fcd,sp, it:,would require.:express' wbrds: (which,:are absent from tho statute)' to make, l emplbyers:(;liabl6. , in respect of a .past

EMPLOYERS' DISSATISFACTION. i. ■ . =-■;. > ■ ■ ■' ■ - . ..•■■■.■ ... HOW WILL THE LAW BE AMENDED ? .The: above, opinionby Mr. Skcrrett, E.G., camebefore a meeting of the Advisory Board cf.;'the :New'Zealand;-Employers' Federation : the ' whole • gues-. ,tion' of ,ttexd{3^^^in;llEe^minmgl'!iiidu^^' w&s.disoii?sed.: Great'.dissatisfaction was ex-. pM^^.lwi^^^Vab!tkm'^> ; ihe' Government; because- it 'was felt., that,.-unless;the'-,mine-: owners had some,intimation as to 'what.al-terations-wore... to .be effected"'m;;the, law, ;it. .was impossible' for. them: to . accept : the pro-., posals of ;.tho Government. ■ It • was : also ■ agreed that/ihe proposals',of the' Government were absolutely, unfair to the msuranco companies doing business, in the Dominion, and also to those mine-owners who bold -policies the :Govem--.meat': Accident ;Depaftment. : ", As.- the matter was' onepf such .importance.. the board. decided: to communicate with tile whole of tho Federation' before taking .any further action, " . It-.was' resolved '.to-'- write to ; the , Prime Minister,< conveying : the board's dissatisfaction ■ with.'the- of,':the Government, .and-' advising' him that the matter had been ,refe4ted'' t6'':the whole Federation for ah ; expressi6n*;of: opinion; ;.when ■ . further; ' action would probably be.taken.. ;. A CONFERENCE OF MINE-OWNERS.

TO BE HELD IN WELLINGTON. - The'secretary of. the Employers' Federation (Mr. W. Pryor) has received a communicaasking hini .to. arrange, for a conference to:-be held in Wellington at 'an.-■■early-Vdate,'; . the /problems conhMtidVTOth.itha present mining deadlock ,may/;b,e. fully discussed, from, the owners' point,of vjew. -Mr. fryer expects to.be. able to arrange for the conference to be held next Friday.'. ■■■■,■ : ' REMARKS BY MINISTER FOR LABOUR. 'MATTER' IN' THE HANDS OF THE PRIME MINISTER. 'Whenjasked last 'night, for' some; further .]ight.upon : tho action.of the' Government in connection with; thri: mining -'deadlock', the Hon.:A.,W. Hogg, Minister for Labour, told a "Dominion . repo r ter th at 7 he had,' been in commnnicatibn ..witli:-the' /Prime Minister, who'had the matter ui hand, and was in communication with'Hhe'miners and- the owners. The decision of the .Government,' as announced on Saturday' last, was arrived, at after consultation in "Cabinet",/ and the matter was then'left in .the hand's of the Prime Minister. .Mr. Hogg 'thought,.'that, in the meantime," it would not- be wise for hiin ,'to'-. make any 'statement /on the subject.