UNDERGROUND WORKERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14280, 31 July 1908, Page 5

UNDERGROUND WORKERS

THE REASON FOR THE BILK

(Fltost Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, July 30. The Hon. A. R. Guinness (Speaker), interviewed to-night, said that his object in bringing in tho Houw of Underground Workers Bill was to give effect to, 1 thp eight hours bank-to-hank clause, of which lie was the original author, in the Mining Act and the Coal Mines Act as lii6>- introduced, though it. was rendered l non-effective through tho amendments that were made by the Legislative Council. It therefore seemed to him advisable to perfect the measure by having tho eighty hours bank-io-banb clearly defined, and by having a definite amount of time for a meal during theso eight hours fixed by law. This latter point constituted one of the principal reasons for introducing the bill, as the duration of the meal time was not at present defined, either for coal mines or gold mines, and had been a cause of trouble at Denniston and Blackball. Ho considered it very necessary to have the " crib " time defined .in this way by statute instead of leaving it to bo fixed by employers and employees, or by the Arbitration Court. "I was aware," continued Mr Guinness, " that the Prime Minister stated at Westport, when ho went there to settle the Denniston dispute, that lie would bring in a bill to make (he bank-to-bank clause effective in i<egard to coal mine.?. Some weeks of tho session wenfe by. and tho bill did not appear; and, moreover, it was not intended, so far as 1 knew, to apply to gold mines nor to underground workings other than coal mines. I therefore considered it my duty to bring in a bill, so that in case tho Government bill, did not appear, or was slaughtered with the inno-ec-uts, my bill might have a chance. I could not understand the indignation of somo members about clause 3, which prohibits tho Arbitration Court from making an award on this subjoot. The Arbitration Act already forbids the Supreme Court and tlio Appeal Court to reviow or alter an award of t.lio Arbitration. Court, and if Paliament can restrict the two highest courts of the land in that wa- I do not see why it should not limit tho Arbitration Court." Mr Guinness added that ho was pleased with tho reception of his bill by the House. He also pointed out that it would apply to such works as the Arthur's Pass tunnel, where tho men would after a time have to travel two or more miles to their work. He was, however, prepared to amend the bill, so as to exempt contracts entered info before its passage.