HEALTH OF MINERS

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 139, 9 December 1918, Page 8

HEALTH OF MINERS

NEED OF PROMPT ACTION. Mr. .Poland (Ohinemuri) complained in the House of Representatives to-day that very Httle had been done to cHfeck the disease of "miners' phthsis" (pneumociniosis) It was absolutely due to the men that effective action should be taken as quickly as possible to protect the health •of miners. The fact that Mr. Massey and^Sir Joseph Ward were going to the Peage Conference was no justification for the postponement of any necessary measures. The instillation of satisfactory roek^drilling machines should be compulsory. The Government was dilatory in moving against an insidious form of disease. In the case of a disaster— which might kill fifty men at once— something might be done, but when the harm was done by bad ventilation or dust—the ordinary industrial ills— it was difficult to move the Government. There was no reason why this matter shonld Hot have received,attention this session. The mine-owners had a large number of drills, which were valuable, but they were not as good as the now drill which was available. If there was to be any. loss incurred by the mineowners by the scrapping of drills, the Government should be prepared to bear it. , n (Proceeding.)