PENSIONS FOR MINERS

Grey River Argus, 22 April 1929, Page 7

PENSIONS FOR MINERS

THE MINISTER’S SUGGESTION. WELLINGTON, April 21. Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., has received the following letter from' the Minister of Mines;—“With reference to the representations which were made through you by representatives of the Miners’ Union and replesentatives of the Blackball Miueis’ Medical Association during my visit to Blackball on the 29th January Last, when suggestions were made that tie Government should impose 11 per ton royalty on all coals produced i?i New Zealand, and tb«.t the revenue obtained therefrom should be subsidised on a £1 for £1 basis in order to enable arrangements to be made to pay a pension of £2 10 per week to miujrs who arc incapacitated for mining, but who have not reached, the age at whijeh they would be entitled to receive the existing pension payable, and also to the further suggestion tftat the Government should find 31 per week per miner, the coal-owners 3d, and the miners 3d per week per miner to provide a bene nt for miners who are unaule to work through sickness: 1 have now to advise having siluce carefully investigated the master, it seems to me that, in view of the state of the coal-mining industry in New Zealand, the Government would not be justified in imposing further financial burdens upon the owners of coal mines at present. “As at 31st December last, there was a balance to the credit of the Cool Miners’ Relief Fund amounting to £25,070. During the year which expired on that date, the contributions were not sufficient to meet the accident payrignta, th,ere being a shortage of £lOB6.

“You will recollect that several years ago a committee inquired into the position regarding the Coal Miners ’ Relief Fund, etc. In their report it wtejs, Intel alia, recommended that provision should be made for payment of a Bick benefit for miners from the yearly surplus that would probably be sufficient to allow for payment of the following sick benefits:—After three weeks but not in excess of six weeks, 12/6 per week; after six weeks but not exceeding 13 weeks, £l/10/- per week—the fore going rates of relief to be reviewel at the end of the first yetar. and then increased or diminished as the position of the fund allows; thereafter the rates to be reviewed every three years.

“I should be glad if you will kinnly ascertain fnmi the organisations qoneerned and Lt mo know whet-hoi* or not they are agreeable to the balance standing to the credit of the Coa<l Miners’ Relief Fund being applied for the purpose of providing relief to miners who may be unable to work on account of sickness to the extent recommended by the committee referred to.”