SUBSIDISED GOLD MINERS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21465, 6 May 1935, Page 12

SUBSIDISED GOLD MINERS

WORK PRAISED BY MINISTER

TWO PROSPECTING PARTIES TO BE SENT

(IPICUL 30 TBB PBSS3.) HOKITIKA, May 3. When the Westland Mining Executive waited on the Minister for Employment (the Hon. S. G. Smith), the chairman, Mr J. A. Murdoch, spoke highly of the assistance they had received from Mr W. Bromley, deputychairman of the Unemployment Board. He spoke of the work opened up by subsidised miners, many of whom after months of hard "dead" work were now able to carry on without assistance. At present there were still 63 married men, 52 single men, and six youths receiving subsidy. The returns worked out more favourably than those of any other district. Mr Murdoch then dealt with the Humphreys scheme, and mentioned that if the authorities would let miners have the water, when the race was complete, at 2Jd a head an hour, the board would not only get its money back, but would enable up to 100 men to earn a reasonable living wage. The scheme was a rational asset, although the field was not expected to be a very rich one. The executive asked to be allowed to send two parties, well equipped, at standard rates of pay into the back ranges to prospect for reefs. They also asked for increased allowances for men who were on dead work, but wftich was opening up prospects. Gratitude was expressed for what had already been done by the board. The Minister paid a tribute to Mr Bromley's work. Mr Smith added that he was astonished by what the Westland Mining Executive had accomplished and wished them every success in the assistance they were giving to men out of employment. He said the unemployment problem was terrible, and he felt very strongly for the men in straitened circumstances. No country had yet managed to solve the problem, although New Zealand had gone a long way-to relieve the situation. He was convinced that conditions could, and would, be considerably improved if . the board were given the assistance of, all sections of the community. Mr Bromley was left to deal with the executive's requests. He said that the mining subsidy scheme, which at, the outset had been viewed with suspicion, had turned out to be most sue- j ceEsful. Of the country's gold produc-! tion at the present 5 per cent, was being produced by subsidised men; £150,000 had been returned for subsidies paid out. He krew of no other form of relief which had been so productive. Mr Bromley approved of equipping the two parties for the back country at standard rates of pay. He expressed his sympathy for men driving tunnels for small wages and with little immediate prospect of returns. He did what he could in such circumstances.