RIGHTS OF MINERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18294, 10 January 1923, Page 8

RIGHTS OF MINERS.

OLD PROVISION PRESSED.

SUCCESS OF PLAINTIFFS. [BY XBLEQaAPH.—OW^-, CORRESPONDENT ] GHEYMOUTH, Tuesday. The long-standing claim against the Dobson Coal Company, which is now in liquidation, for about £409 for salaries and wages alleged to be due to former employees of the company, culminated in> the Greymouth Warden's Court to-day, when judgment was given for the plaintiffs after rather unusual procedure. The case had been removed from the Magistrate's Court, and, owing to the absence of a witness for tb/j defendant, counsel applied for a non-suit, on the ground that the Dobson coal lease was not a mining privilege under the Mining Act, and that the plaintiffs were not therefore entitled to sue in the Warden's Court. Counsel for the plaintiffs, Mr. Joyce, then applied under regulation 5 of the Mining Act for the granting of an ante-dated miner's right for each of the plaintiffs. The company was being reconstructed and expected to have all arrangements, completed in about two weeks' time. No doubt the amounts were due. Mr. Joyce then made application for the issuance of miners' right 3 for each of the plaintiffs as from Decem- ; ber 20, the date before the issue of the summonses for the wages. The warden granted the rights. Counsel for the defence, Mr. Hannan, said he would apply for an adjournment to obtain evidence. Ii was always a practice when miners' rights were granted to allow an adjournment. Mr. Joyce said that : tHe application was merely an attempt to delay proceedings. ..-■-. The magistrate said there was not sufficient ground for an adjournment and he gave judgment for the plaintiffs for the amount claimed, with costs. This is the first time for years that advantage has been take in the warden's court of the provision for ants-dated miners' rights to press a claim.