STATE AID.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 180, 31 July 1940, Page 8

STATE AID.

MINING INDUSTRY.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

TOT All OF £43,848 ADVANCED.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON;, this day.

Direct financial assistance amounting to £43,848 was given to the mining industry by the State during the financial year ended March 31, 1940, according to the Mines Statement tabled in Parliament this afternoon by the Hon. P. C. Webb, Minister of Mines. Of this sum, £19,229 was advanced by way of subsidies and loans, and £15,596 was expended on subsidies to individual prospectors working small areas. Assistance given by the Mining Department included educative work in the Schools of Mines, provision of drilling equipment on reasonable terms, making better access to claims in remote areas, and financial aid to prospectors and companies engaged in the search for and production of minerals. In addition, the Department had carried out special prospecting work in selected areas under the supervision of qualified geologists and mining experts. The number of men engaged on the subsidised gold mining scheme decreased during the year from 350 to 230, but individual gold winnings showed a distinct improvement, with a total for the year of 226C0z, valued at £20.400. Five tons of scheelite, valued at £2075, was also produced.

Although operations have not yet •been carried oil far enough to determine the value of the Perseverance and Golden Treasure mines at Reefton, prospecting was carried a further stage, while a fair quantity of payable ore was proved at the Red Queen Mine, near Mokiliinui.

Towards the end of the year steps, were taken to prospect a scheeli-te mine at Wakamarina, where encouraging results were being obtained. The construction and maintenance of roads and tracks to mining areas accounted for £598, while £3631 wa« expended on Schools of Mines.