THE MINING TROUBLE.

Evening Star, Issue 13149, 4 January 1909, Page 4

THE MINING TROUBLE.

NO AGREEMENT ARRXVED 's£?_ MINERS STOP WORK." THE GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED; [Per United Press Association.]:; REEFTON, January 4: A meeting attended by about 300 miners waa held on Saturday night. It is.understood that the delegates of the Federation of Minens and the Committee reported that no agreement had been come to with the employers. Mr Colvin, M.P., and Mr P. J. O'Regan addressed the meeting, and it was ultimately decided that no member of the union should go to work to-day. The only miners working in the district will be the tributers of the Golden Fleece. ! . The mines affected are the Progress and Globe mines, New Big River, Keep-it-Dark, Energetic, Wealth of Nations, New Ulster, St. George, Big River, South, and Welcome Syndicate. All the battery hands also will not go to work. It is calculated that 600 miners are directly employed in the mines affected. Great indignation is expressed at the Government's fraction. It is held that' their want of consideration of the measure is the cause of the trouble. Previously there was no cause for trouble between the employers and the men. The men think that the employers are making too much of the risk, and also think that the employers, in asking for five years' insurance, are asking too much. A good deal of censure has been placed on the member of the Labor Federation who was reported to have said that 75 per cent, of the miners were affected by miner's complaint. Mr Semple (president of the Miners' Federation) says this was misreported. A GRAVE OUTLOOK. BOTH SIDES RESOLUTE. ' [Special to the Star.] GREY MOUTH, January 4. The new year opens with a gloomy cloud hanging over the West Coast in the shape of an industrial upheaval in the Inangahua district, involving upwards of 600 man, resulting in the loss of £250 daily in wages, besides which the whole district around Reef ton will be sorionsly affected commercially, as quartz mining is the sole industry in the locality. Thn& nearly 1.000 men will be prevented from following their usual occupation, or will bo injuriously affected by the deadlock which ir- the greatest crisis we havo had since 1891. Both employers and employed firmly adhere to their demands—one to a medical examination and the other in opposition to it—and the only hope of a solution is for the Government to accept the risk in their own Insurance Department. A wire was sent to the Prime Minister with this request on Saturday, but no reply has yet been received, and the delay is causing a deal of indignation. The only miners working in the district are the tributers of the Golden Fleece. Good order prevails. Tt is held that as the men were discharged on the 23rd of December there is no compulsion for them to go to work: Mr Sample (president of the Miners' Federation) states that a reply from the Government is still awaited. In the event of it being in the negative, the Executive will probably instruct Mr P. j\ O'Regan to cite the employers for creating a deadlock. Last year the Consolidated Company insured their own employees, and aro said to have saved £9OO. COAST COLLIERIES UNAFFECTED. WESTPORT, January 4. Work at the collieries in this district was resumed this morning after the holidays. The output was fairly good.- • : The Beefton trouble so far has not affected the colliery industry. POSITION AT THE THAMES. [Pee United Pbess Association.] THAMES, January 4. Regarding the difficulty re the medical examination of miners hi view of the provisions of the Workers' Compensation Act so far as the local position is concerned, the companies insist on the men being examined. lii some cases no definite instructions were issued, but the managers are not likely to accept the responsibility of dispensing with a medical examination in view of the almost unanimous desire of the companies that medical examinations shall be held. In some cases the men have taken time by the forelock, and have already been examined. Armed with their medical certificates, thev will commence work forthwtih. In 'the case of those who have been or will be found to be suffering from "miners' complaint" in the Thames there must be a considerable number of men who must perforce wait for the return of the stipendiary magistrate before they can secure the exemption necessary. It is not anticipated that any trouble will arise locally, as fhe union, being outside the Miners' Federation, aiiy mandate issued by that body has no bearing upon the local position. THE MINERS IDLE. [Per United Press Association.] REEFTON, January 4. Pursuant to the decision arrived at on Saturday night, the miners did not turn up to work this morning, and all the miners are virtually idle. At the Energetic mine only the mine manager and the assistant manager are working. All the. works are hung up, as the casual hands, even though notified that no medical examination would be required, have not resumed work. The Keep-it-Dark mine is engaged in pumping after' the Christmas holidays, and the mine manager is engaged in lipping the buckets. The Globe battery was in full swing crushing the remainder of a special lot of stone, but only the manager and cue assistant are working. I NINE HUNDRED MEN IDLE. [Special to the Star.] GREYMOUTH, January 4. Official statements show that nearly 870 men are rendered idle, the chief mines being the Progress (320 men), the Consolidated (230), Blackwater (150), Keep-it-Dark (60). and Big River (60); The smaller mines make up the total to 900. MR MILLAR INTERVIEWED. GOVERNMENT CAN DO NOTHING. WELLINGTON", January 4. ■ In Connection with the miners' ttouble, the Hon. J. A. Millar, speaking to a 'Post' reporter, said the Government can do absolutely nothing in the matter. It is a question purely between the owners and the men. The men are practically asking the Government to give a blank cheque to every miner in the cduntfy who is suffering from disease, and they could riot do that Without the authority "of Parliament. SYMPATHY ON THE COAST. [Special to the StAfe.j GREYMOUTH, January 4. No men turned up at Blackwater, which, like the rest of the mines,' is idle. Emergency inklings Of the Blackball J Union to be held to-night arid at Gfeyi mouth to-morrow give the impression that ; the miners will receive much sympathy, and possibly financial .support locally. I The State Collieries' Union unanirilously endorsed the 1 action tif the Reef ton niehV , Not only have the miners refused to work, but also all other classes of labor: Those who were iiot compelled to uttdefge exatnination stayed away out of sympathy, ' A resolution was passed at the itiangnl hua Miners' Union meeting that any member undergoing an exairiinatiOn be ex-' pelled and reported te ail the other- Unions in the Dpiiiinitm. . . ■?•-•

NEWSPAPER COMMENT. "J&vtaux. to the Sta&]~ CmUSTCHTJRCH, January* 4. Referring to the miners' crisis,, tie Press'eays that the Government cannot, of course, accede to the request to suspend the operation of the ArUtratftoa Act. That is a power that lies only in tb» ; hands of Parliament. Neither can they take'over the liability which the Act imposes upon mine-owners. The latter are doing nothing illegal or unreasonable in requiring the men to undergo a medical examination, since the insurance companies must in their own interests know the extent of their liabilities. The miners can scarcely expect the sympathy and support of the public when they might so 'easily end the present unfortunate deadlock. The 'Lyttelton Times' considers the miners are trying to force an impossible application of the law. "It would be manifestly unjust, to compel the manufacturer to pay compensation to an employee for an accident that happened before the employee entered his service, and similarly it would be unjust to make the mine-owners liable for the payment of compensation to men who are already suffering from 'minei's complaint.' The request that all miners should submit to a medical examination eeems to us to be perfectly reasonable." [Special to tub Stab.] GREYMOUTH, January 4. The employers' representatives state that it is not for them to take action; it is for the Government to decide what to do.