STATE COLLIERIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14047, 29 April 1909, Page 6

STATE COLLIERIES.

HIGH COST OF LIVING. Referring to the State collieries,, on th» West Coast, to a Lytt-elton Times reporter, Mr. H. G. Ell, M.P., a member of the Timber Commission, said that the members of Parliament on the. Commission took occasion to visit Point Elizabeth. The collieries appeared to be fitted out with an up-to-date plant, and quite a large number of employees were now housed in comfortable cottages, erected by the Government, and let at 8s a week. There were at present about 800 men employed in, the State oollieries and sawmills. Complaints were ~ made by workers, who could not get Government cottages, that thejr had ;to pay outrageous rente for houses, situated often five miles from the collieries. The Government was now opening _ up another. State coal mine about one- mil? and a-bali from the present working?. In arejiJ'Jiiifi rent ranged quite as high as in Crist' church, and living for the workers was much dearer. As an instance of the high cost of living, Mr. Ell mentioned that bread cost 8d per loaf, and in some m '*.» mining districts as high as 9d, while,.;*.:,, minimum price paid for meat was od £ie* lb, and groceries generally were mors ci'stly than in other parts of New Zealand. in* West Coast undoubtedly suffered very severely as a result of its comparative isolation, and it was no wonder that thepeople of Westland viewed with much satisfaction the completion of the Midland - r:) >