FURTHER MESSAGE TO SIR J. G. WARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2862, 20 January 1909, Page 82

FURTHER MESSAGE TO SIR J. G. WARD.

•PRIME MINISTER REFUSES TO CONVENE PARLIAMENT. TIMARU, January 14. The Prime Minister has handed the following re the miners' trouble to the press : " Sir J. G. Ward, Timaru. "Although we cannot admit all the conclusions arrived at by you in your telegram of yesterday, it seems inexpedient tor us at the present time to further disvTiss the controversial matters mentioned. 1 We regret exceedingly that we have been mable to place out views before you in | % really comprehensible manner, and, at the risk of becoming weaTisome, desire to state tliat after long and deliberate consideration, remembering the decision of the insurance companies, we cannot see how the provisions of the Workers' Compensation Act relating to pneumoconiosis can be amended so as to operate justly towards employers unless a medical examination of the workers is permitted ; and to such examination the labour organi-iat'-in explicitly refuses to submit, thus creating a permanent deadlock. It was onr hope that your large experience of e<sministration would enable you to device some way out of the difficulty at preteut not apparent to us, and thus enable a forecast to be made of the necessary amending legislation. We regret that you are unable to assist us in this direction, and therefore respectfully urge upon you the necessity of calling Parliament together at the earliest possible date to Bivf.ud the present law in such manner as u?sy be found best calculated to meet the •'filiation. "S. Free, for the mine-owners." The following is the Prime Minister's reply: — "S. Free, Reefton. " I am in receipt of your telegram, the contents of which are noted. There L< no necessity whatever to call Parlia"ient together, and I am certainly unable to agree to the suggestion, made by you in that respect. "J. G. Waed."