The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, JANUARY 5,1909.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2391, 5 January 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, JANUARY 5,1909.

THE MINERS’. STRIKE. Even in the perpetually disturbed industrial world it is not often that a problem arises so difficult of solution as that which is affecting the mining industry at the present time. The Government,, with its incessant desire to legislate, conceived amongst other things that the miners needed more .attention. In no sense daunted by the dire results which had followed former interference in this industry—as witness the AYcst Coast strikes—the law-makers sot forth on a new line, and on this occasion decided to add some new clauses to the provisions dealing with compensation for accidents. In the past these had worked fairly well, but the alteration made lias already led to all sorts of f trouble. So far as the principles involved in the change are concerned, there is little fault to be found, but the Government evidently failed to realise fully the probable effect of its handiwork .and the eventualities arising therefrom. In the past miners have, like employees in other industries, Deoil compensated for injuries sustained whilst employed in their daily occupation, while the employers have insured themselves against the liabality so created by an arrangement with the insurance companies. Now the Government has decided that a disease common amongst miners known as pneumoconiosis - shall be brought witliin the scope of the Act, which means that where a miner is temporarily incapacitated from work he shall be entitled to compensation as though it were an accident, and in tho event of his death from that disease compensation shall be payable to his dependents. Logically there js nothing to be said against this. The disease, a form of lung consumption, is one directly attributable to the nature of the work, and tho industry should be made to bear the cost of dealing with it. Tho insurance companies may have to pay larger sums in compensation, and they will naturally charge the employers higher premiums, which the latter will be compelled'to obtain in some way from their customers. If only the present and future working of the Act were to be considered, the matter would be simple enough, but ■unfortunately this is not so. There are thousands of miners working to-day who already have the disease, some in a very bad form, The companies—refuse to accept the risks attendant upon the insurance of such cases, and before taking up the liability which the Government has placed on the employers, they demand a medical certificate that the worker is free from the disease. The men on their side refuse to be examined, fearing that it may result in their being, discharged. The whole position is bristling with difficulties, and the Government has palpably blundered in failing to foresee wliat was the inevitable outcome of its action. It is obviously ridiculous to expect an individual mine-owner to accept the risk of providing for the future of a large number of employees already affected by tho disease who may have obtained it in some other mine or even in some other country. At the same time it is a distinct hardship that; a worker should be discharged from his employment where lie may be doing good work and earning high wages with first-class pros’poets for many years to come simply because lie has a touch of a complaint that has gained legislative attention. Now that the matter has been taken up, it seems to us that Parliament will be compelled to see it through. It some way the cost should 'fall on the whole mining industry of the Dominion, but in what manner this can lie arranged’ is a problem that will require very careful consideration. In the meantime it is apparent that the coal trade .and goldmining are likely to bo .disorganised, and unless a prompt settlement is effected it is likely that more money will lie lost in a strike than would pay all the compensations that are in dispute.

Messrs. D&lgety and Co. Ltd., will offer at the '-Atatawhero saleyarde ,on Thursday next Mr. W. Toinblesons flock of stud Border Leicester. Ihe sheep will bo submitted at 1 p.m. sharp. ■ ; '

According to the evidence of jx constable in >a recent ease at tho'Auckland Police Court, every colored person in the northern city has been guilty of putting on “side” since the defeat of Burns for tho World’s Boxing Championship by Johnson; the Negro. a Two very useful and well got up office requisites in the shape of a letter file and blotter, bearing advertisements for the Royal Exchange As-munco Company have been received at the “Times” office from the Gisborne agents, Messrs Bennett and She mitt.

Signor Borzoni arrives from the South to-morrow to commence the training of a couple of hundred performers in connection with the grand display, “The Birth of the Empire,” which takes place in the Garrison Hall on February 8. The performers will meet at the Garrison Hall at 7.30 p.m. to-morrow.

The annual bush “burns” in the country are now taking place and a large block at Tabora- is at present being fired. Clouds of smoko were driven yesterday across the town, obscuring tho sun, and rendering the ■atmosphere close .and .stifling. In a ■number of business premises the /amps had to be lit at two o’clock in the afternoon owing to the dull light. Shearing has been progressing apace in the country, and many of the stations are now cut out. The wool is, generally creaking, in good order, and the - sheep have been coming out in fine condition. Waggons are busily employed transferring the raw product from shed to wool store and every/ day »these ponderous vehicles are seen lumbering into town with the result of the sheepman’s “harvest.”

Theh following visitors arrived during the New Year holidays at the Pakarao Hotel:—On Jan. 1, Mr and Mrs C. Adair and family, Mr and 'Mrs G. K. Paisley and family (4), Mr and Mrs Stock and family (4), Mr and Mrs A. Rees and family (4), Mr and Mrs T. A. Crawford, Miss G. Kennedy, Mr S. Lyod, Mr Monkton, Messrs D. and R. Johnston, Messrs J. Fraser, T. Stevens and E. Elliot; On Jan. 2, Mr and Mrs H. Kane, Mr E. Espie, Mr and Mrs D. N. Ashbank, Mr T. P.. Brown.

Perhaps the most important conference of British journalists ever held will take place in London in June next, when representative pressmen of Great Britain at Home and beyond the seas will meet to discuss matters of Imperial interest in their relation to journalism with the idea of establishing a more complete understanding than may at present exist. The conference will not be stationary, arrangements having been made for delegates to visit the chief manufacturing centres, the great naval ports and shipbuilding yards, and other places concerned in the larger interests of the nation. New Zealand is to send six delegates.

The secretary of the Wellington Boxing Association (Mr. W. Coffey) has received a cable message from Mr W. F. Corbett, representative of the association in Australia, stating that he bad definitely arranged with Burns to visit the Dominion,, and give exhibitions of boxing under the auspices of the association. Mr. Corbett intimated that further details connected with Burns’s -visit would reach tho Wellington officials by this week’s Sydney mail. The information volunteered by Air. Corbett is the outcome of the offer made by the Wellington Boxing Association (through Mr. R. Coombes, editor of the “Sydney Referee”), when that gentleman was in Wellington a short time ago.

At the Police Court yesterday morning, before Mr. W. A. Barton, fe.31., a young man named James Payne pleaded not guilty to a charge of drunkenness, but after the evidence bad been heard be was convicted and fined 10s and 2s costs, of 4S hours’ imprisonment. Denis O’Meara, on a similar charge, was penalised to the same extent. On a further charge of procuring liquor while under prohibition, O’Meara explained that lie returned from Auckland on Sunday. He had a few drinks on board the steamer but. none after be came ashore. He admitted being under prohibition, but was under the impression that it did not apply when he was at sea. His Worship imposed a. fine of £lO and 2s costs, with Hie alternative of two months’ imprisonment with bard labor.

About two months ago Bro. J. M. Calder, District Chief Ruler of the New Zealand Central District of the Independent Order of Richahites, paid an official visit of inspection to the Gisborne Tent. His report is to (hand, and is highly favorable to the Gisborne brethren. The report says: “The tug laden with passengers, including myself, reached the Gisborne wharf about 8 o’clock on the morning of October 31st. I noticed a roundfaced, genial looking young man gazing intently at tho buttons in my coat, I knew he must bo a Recbabrtc, and sure enough it was the real live secretary, Bro. Clark. We wore joined shortly after by Bro. Naismith and went along to Bro. Clark’s home and enjoyed a hearty breakfast, after which wo went fully through .all books and papers including Juveniles, and I am glad to say, found every-, thing in tip-top order.' At night I met the Juveniles and gave them a short address. I was very pleased with tho way' the boys and gi rls conducted and went through their business. After the juveniles had closed we had a rousing meeting of the adult Brothers and Sisters,' the splendid singing of the Odes was an eye-opener to me, I have heard' nothing to equal it since I have been in. tho Order. Gisborne lias a. fine lot of workers, no drones, and must soon become a very strong Tent. I spoke to, and at, the members for a short time, and had to run the gauntlet of a lot of questions, after which we bad a" very nice coffee supper.”

The daily press of New Zealand is a subject so tremendous and so intimately related 1 to the "complexities of modern society and civilisation, that any twenty minute discussion of it must come after getting .a perforated cook spoon for five pence this week at Parnell’s Popular Saturday Sales, ninth inst. only.

festfeMftea of.' - ' ■ . -

The Quackery Prevention Bill, which came into force latt Friday, makes it an offence to publish in. a newspaper, exhibit in a public place, •nr gratuitously distribute any statemelt which is intended to promote the sale of any mcdicme, P re^[ atl ° or appliance and .which any material particular. She, maxi mum penalty is £IOO for a first offence and £2OO for a second offence. The printer,: publisher, and propjie or of a newspaper are made *»«ra h h able for an offence, without excluding the liability of any other are not to be uniess bdoi e the publication of the false fetaterneu a warning from the Chief Health OffiJJC tSm> <•.»««? t? information must be laid by the Ohiel Health Officer. or by some person authorised by him, and no may be commenced without the leave of the Attorney-General. A document distributed with a newspaper is deemed to form part of the newspaper.

Heavv blows at boxing weim delivered by the Rev. B. F. Roth well, preaching at the "\Vesleyan Church service in the Hutt down Hall the other Sunday evening. He referred to what he termed tlie Saturnalia of blood and brutality which had given place to the Christian festival, the dominant note of which was goodwill amongst men. He stated that as an evidence that the brute had not quite vanished from amongst ns we had only to remember that, no sooner had a great sculler shown his manly prowess in an essentially manly sport, than there were people so .anxious that he should use it to pommel his fellowman that they made the premature announcement that Arnst was making for the prize-ring. It was a significant fact that a legalised c ‘ glove” contest had to be terminated by the intervention of the police. It was time that these contests,, which revive the worst features of the heathen Saurnalia, gave place to a. higher civilisation.