THE MINERS' DISEASE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10041, 8 January 1909, Page 3

THE MINERS' DISEASE.

(Pee Press Association.) Auckland, January 8. As a result of telegrams received from the Waikato Coalminers' Union, a meeting of Labor Unions has been convened to be held in Auckland to-morrow night to consider the advisability of the waterside workers refusing to unload vessels bringing imported coal. Thames, January 8.

There is no change in the local position 60 far as tho miners' trouble is concerned. The miners who after the Erst meeting of the union were examined resumed work and are still at work. Xo demand is being made on them to cease, though it is contended that they acted with undue haste. The fact that the Thames Union consists of three branches whose vote must ! be taken collectively tends to somewhat ! complicate matters, as the conditions dif- | fer considerably. Whereas one mine emi ploys the balk of the miners at Karangaj hake, Thames and Coromandel " have a large number of small mining propositions j whose financial position is such that they cannot undertake an extra burden to inI sure the men or pay for medical examination. The men appear to think that their rejection at the hands of a doctor will practically class them as inferior workmen, though the local managers say that they will employ the men afflicted, and already know from personal observation those suffering. It is contended that nnder a clause of the Act a man must die or become incapacitated after contracting itotherwise he will not benefit, as the ravages of the disease extend in some cases over many years. Objections will bo raised to the clause if the local interpretation is correct. Another point is that where men change their employment frequently, as thev do at the Thames, miners will be compelled to submit to examination at each reemployment, which would be harassing and annoying and would entail considerable expense. A meeting will be held lateT in the day, and it is hoped a solution will be arrived at whereby the men now out. can Tesume work.