THE CROWN MINE TROUBLE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11372, 3 September 1908, Page 7

THE CROWN MINE TROUBLE.

-ACTION TO BE TAKEN.

STATEMENTS, BY MINISTERS

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. A private message was received by a member of the House of Representatives last night to the effect that the Crown mine at Karangahake had closed down in accordance with the reported threat of " the manager that he would cease mining operations unless the company's conditions regarding j insurance were qomplied with. jLast evening, a Herald reporter introduced the subject to two Ministers of the Crown. The Hon. Mr McGowan said that in regard to the /point raised by Mr Poland in the House, lfi&t week, it i had been ascertained' that as> far- as the -Talisman mine, adjoining the Crown property, was concerned, it was impossible to say just what the effect would be. Mr Poland had stated that 100 Talisman miners would „be rendered idle if the Crown mine ceased operations, inasmuch as the lower working of the Talisman would become flooded. It was at present impossible to say just what the effect would be if the Crown mine discontinued pumping, but in any case the Mines Department w.ould . not be able to take any action other than the finding of work for any miners placed in straitened circumstances as a result of the mines .closing down. The Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Labor, when approached on the subject, said that he had received no official intimation that the Crown mine was closing down. ' He was in a position to state, however, that proceedings were to be- instituted against the Crown Mines Company fpr committing a breach |of the law in forcing the • men to protect themselves outside, contrary to the provisions 'of-' the .Workers' : Compensation Act. :. ;■ ■■.. •',-• .•:■; * The Minister for Labor added th;»t lie had so far received no officiul notification of the mine because the men refused to agree to their proposals regarding the paymenV of accident insurance premiums. .; • ; "Would such action be treated'iis a lockout?" the Minister was asked. "The . circumstances of the case as reported would,' certainly constitute a lockout if. -true," Mr Millar replied; "but until there is some official notice of the actual proceedings it is impossible to say what must happen." '.