The Thames Star FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1913. EDITORIAL. PROSPECTING THE BACK-BLOCKS

Thames Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 14611, 29 August 1913, Page 4

The Thames Star

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1913. EDITORIAL. PROSPECTING THE BACK-BLOCKS

Our Mottc: Fear of None ; Favour to None ; Justice to All.

THE SUBSIDY QUESTION 1. In speaking upon the important question of mining in the House of Representatives, , our member (Mr T. W. Rhodes) admitted that tihe. Government was already doing, a great deal to encourage gold-mining by assisting prospecting, and in other ways. He was aware that they had given assistance to deep-level mining in his district and that theiv had made a promise to-contribute £2 for every £1 subscribed by the local bodies to the funds of a prospecting association which, had been formed. If tlhat association found £500 the Government would contribute £1000 towards its objects. Tvut, unfortunately, the Regulations were a hindrance. He did not tsa,y the present Minister of Mines was responsible for those Regulations; they had been in force some considerable time, and they should, he thought, be amended in, several directions. They provided, for instance, that men'should not receive more than £ll a week from the Government fund. Blut the association recognised that specially picked men who worked in the baekblocks laboured under very advantageous conditions^ and that they should have mere than £1 10s-per week, and that was the most. they could give the men if they (the association) were to take full advantage of the Government subsidy. They wished to give the men £2 a week or more, and th& Regulations, he hoped, would be altered- toi allow such a thing to bo done. The Association should not be placed, in the position of having to whittle down the remuneration paid to their men. Mining was an industry that had done much for New Zealand in the past, but unfortunate- ]- it had been on the decline of late, and it seemed to him it would continue to decline unless new discoveries were made, -and this was most likely to be accomplished by exploring new territory in the .back-blocks.