MEDICAL EXAMINER BUSY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2860, 6 January 1909, Page 26

MEDICAL EXAMINER BUSY.

AUCKLAND, January 4. j The Ccu'omandcl coirespond-ent of the i New Zealand Herald states that tj;e j medical examiner theie has been kept i buvr for the last tiro da.Y3 in 6iafrti&ing {

T miners so that they can comply with the new regulations. I COMPANIES ASKED" TO PAY FEES. THAMES, January 4. I A largely-atfended meeting of the Miners' Union to-night decided, after a ! lengthy discussion, that the miners would ; undergo the medical examination provided I that the companies paid the medical fees j involved. THE POSITION LOCALLY. A meetkig 1 of the Oia.go Coal Mine 1 On n«rs' _A-e£-oci-ati on nas liel-cl on 2*£oD<3**^f afternoon to consider the present grave j position. It was reported to tha meeting "that the insurance companies were meeting in "Wellington that o'ay to finally decide as to ■tthat course of action ■was to be adopted in connection with accepting risks under the new act. As no imtimaiion had come "to hand, however, as to what was decided on by the ineu.rance companies, the meeting adjourned until Tuesday, when the matter will be discutsad, and, probably, fimally -dealt with. The position ait present, in the opinion of the coal mine owners of Ofcago, is that they (the mine owners) have either to force the men to be msTlioaJlv examined' or take the wholo of tha risk themselves." The , employers- feel that thsy have a grievance in that the disease which is the occasion of all the present discussion cannot be contracted in a ooal 'mine, and they are strongly of opinion that coal miners should never hav-e been.' brought uinder the act at all. WE&TPORT COAL MINES NOT AFFECTED. WESTPORT, January 4. Work at the collieries in this district was resumed this morning after the holidays. The output was fairly good. The Reefton trouble so far has not affected the colliery industry.