SUBSIDY ASKED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 59, 10 March 1936, Page 9

SUBSIDY ASKED.

golden dawn mine. PROMISE OF REPAYMENT. MINE MINISTER'S TOUR. (By Telegraph .—Special Reporter.) • THAMES, this day. In continuation of his tour of "the Hauraki goldfiekls the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, left Waihi at nine o'clock this morning for Thames, calling at several places en route and receiving deputations. The Minister is being conducted over the remainder of his tour by Mr. J. Thorn, M.P. for Thames, and Mr. E. J. Scoblc, inspector of mines. The Under-Secretary of Mines, ill". A. Tyndall, is also travelling with Mr. Webb. A quick visit was paid to the Waihi South School oil the way out of 'town this morning. After addressing the children the Minister asked for a half holiday on their behalf, and he stepped back into his car to the accompaniment of hearty cheers. The next stop was at the Waikino battery, where the party spent over an hour inspecting the machinery used for crushing quartz. At Waikino'a deputation waited on the Minister to ask for financial help to carry out recreation ground improvements. Mr. Webb promised a grant of £50 when he learned that much had been done by volunteer workers from the battery to improve their recreation facilities. He told the deputation he was prepared to help any body who was prepared to help itself and he gave the £50 following a promise by Mr. T?. G. Milligan, attorney for the Martha Mine, that the company would grant £50 for recreation improvements. Bath for Workers. Incidentally, the Minister was given a promise by Mr. Milligan yesterday that the company would also give £50 towards the erection of a bath at the Martha mine for the use of the company's employees. The miners asked Mr. Webb yesterday for Government help to erect a bath at the mine, and when he suggested that the company should contribute towards the cost Mr. Milligan agreed to do so. The Minister then said he would make a grant of £50. Further along the road from Waikino to-day the party stopped at the Golden Dawn mine, where a deputation consisting of Mr. J. Farrell and Mr. M. IT. Wynward waited on the Minister to ask for a Government subsidy. Mr. Farrell explained that the company wanted to open up a new drive toward the main range of hills. Already the company, had driven 1050 ft in the direction he mentioned, but they now had to drive from 500 ft to 000 ft further, in country that was hard going. The work would tax their resources heavily, and they asked for a Government subsidy to continue the work on that particular section. The mine was just paying its way. Since 1933 the company had spent £16,000 of their own money on prospecting. The new drive would cost about £2 a foot. Minister Asks Question. "If we subsidised work of that kind and you struck gold, don't you think it would be reasonable for the company to pay back the subsidy money to the Government before dividends were paid out?" asked the Minister. "If companies are not prepared to pay back the rnonev that we advance to them by way of a subsidy, then they are not deserving of monetary help." Mr. Farrell: All right, sir, we will accept that. It was arranged that a comprehensive sketch plan showing the company proposals for new drives should be placed before the Minister, who agreed to inquire closely into the deputation s , representations. This afternoon the Minister will hear deputations, and he is to be tendered a complimentary dinner, to be followed i by a social, by the Thames branch or the Labour party this evening.