GOLDMINING BOOM

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 226, 21 June 1934, Page 2

GOLDMINING BOOM

Position in Australia GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE “There is a big boom in gold mining in Australia. The authorities are striving to the utmost to obtain an improvement concerning mining lands. I was amazed at the wonderful strides made in every State,” said Mr. P. C. Webb. M.P. for Buller, in an interview upon his return from Sydney yesterday. The principal State from a goldmining point of view was Western Australia, said Mr. Webb, who remarked that he had made close investigations into the industry in Kaigoorlie, where a company bad amalgamated the Lake View, Ivanhoe and Horseshow mines, three very profitable mines in the early days. At the moment the mine was making more than £50,000 a month iu profits. The Western Australian Government fully recognised the importance of assisting goldmining in all its aspects; for instance, It had lent £150,000 to a tottering company some two years ago, repayable on the basis of 10 per cent, on all gold won. All of that money had since been paid, and the mine was employing 500 men and paying exceptionally big dividends. The Government had approximately 30 crushing batteries which were continually employed crushing and treating ore from "the smaller companies and prospectors at a charge covering working expenses only. Al] assaying was done by the Government free for all prospectors. Good Paying Basis. .So far as he could learn, practically all the mines were on a good paying basis, and the companies were immune from taxation on gold, Mr. Webb said. All the old mines that.were considered worked out bad been taken up again, and where about 1500 miners had been employed a few years ago, there were now about 6000 in regular employment, besides hundreds of assisted prospectors who were treated very liberally by the Government. Some of the prospectors had discovered quite good propositions, and were now practically independent men. The gold companies and the miners’ organisation had arrived at an agreement not to apply the 10 percent. wage cut when it became generally operative throughout Australia. In addition, said Mr. Webb, the Miners’ Phthisis Compensation Act, next to New South Wales, was probably the best in the world. Any miner going from New Zealand to Kaigoorlie or Broken Hill would be well advised to undergo a very severe medical examination before leaving. In Kalgoorlie, it was claimed, there was one of the most up-to-date X-ray plants in existence, and if a miner showed any signs of lung trouble or miner’s phthisis fie was debarred from getting employment. All the miners were examined every 12 months. If it was proved that he w-as suffering from phthisis he must leave the mine immediately, as medical evidence had proved that in the middle and final stages of phthisis tuberculosis set in and became infectious. Mr. Webb said, that when a miner was ordered on to his pension hh got almost the equivalent to the average wage. The contention of the Governments of New South Wales and Western Australia was that it became incumbent on an industry to support those engaged in dangerous or unhealthy occupations when incapacitated.

“Gold-mining is the one big stimulating force in Australian industry st the present time,” said Mr. Webb. “I hope the Nevi' Zealand Government will assist the Minister of Mines to a greater extent iu order that he might be able to help the industry more.” Mr. Webb went to Australia in company with Mr. J. O’Brien, M.P. for Westland, on a mission to secure support for the Roefton miners. They addressed meetings in New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland. In every in stance. Mr. Webb said, the organisations had pledged themselves to support morally and financially the Roefton miners. Fortunately, he added, a satisfactory settlement was brought; about in New Zealand which made further efforts bn their part unnecessary.