C—2.

COAL-MINERS' RELIEF FUND. The Miners' Sick and Accident Funds having been abolished as from the 1M April, 1926, and incorporated in the Coal-miners' Relief Fund, all accident relief'payments are now made from the latter fund, which is administered by the Public Trustee. The rate of interest allowed on the fund was decreased from 4| per cent, to 4 per cent, as from the Ist April, 1932. The interest earned for the twelve months ended 81st» March, 1933, was £920 Is. 4d., as against £1,188 15s. 6d. for the previous year, while for the same periods the receipts from the-§d. per ton contributions were £3,804 17s. Bd. and £4,404 17s. 10d. respectively. The total expenditure for the year ended 31st March, 1933, amounted to £4,722 4s. 5d., as against £6,362 3s. 2d. for the previous year. The amount standing to the credit of the fund as at the 31st March, 1933, was £23,124 19s. 2d., as against £23,122 4s. 7d. at the 31st March, 1932. STATE AID TO MINING. As in previous years, considerable use was made of the Government prospecting drills. They were hired by twelve parties, and a total of 6,511 ft. was drilled. The sum of £6,000 was voted for expenditure by way of subsidies for prospecting. The balance of unexpended authorities at the 31st March, 1932, and those issued during the year, less cancellations, amounted to £7,665 19s. 7d. Of this amount the sum of £3,032 2s. sd. was expended by way of actual subsidies during the year, leaving a balance of £4,633 17s. 2d. authorized but not spent at the 31st March, 1933. In addition, the sum of £377 11s. 10d. was expended by the Department in connection with the Unemployment Board's prospecting schemes. The number of men given employment through the subsidies granted by the Mines Department was 216. In addition, approximately 2,500 men were assisted up to the 31st March, 1933, under the Unemployment Board's prospecting schemes, at an approximate cost of £82,000. Provision totalling £3,146, including £2,756 in the Public Works Fund, was made for expenditure by way of direct grants and subsidies for roads and tracks. The balance of the unexpended authorities at the 31st March, 1932, and those issued during the year amounted to £2,061 9s. 6d. Of this amount the sum of £1,181 16s. 2d. was expended. As usual, all applications for assistance in this direction were carefully investigated, and, having regard to the necessity for curtailing expenditure as far as possible, assistance was granted in those cases where the results of the investigations warranted it. The expenditure on Schools of Mines amounted to £3,094. SUBSIDIES TO UNEMPLOYED TO PROSPECT FOR GOLD. The figures quoted in the previous paragraph show that the assistance afforded through the Unemployment Board and the Mines Department is being availed of by increasing numbers of men. At the beginning of the year 1931 my predecessor in office viewed with anxiety the increasing number of men thrown out of employment and the great need for finding work for them which would be profitable to themselves as well as to the Dominion. As its own vote was exhausted he made representations to the Right Hon. Minister of Finance and the Unemployment Board to make available a sum out of the Unemployment Fund to subsidize married men to enable them to go prospecting for gold. As a result of these representations, the sum of £2,000 was made available and individual subsidies were authorized by the Minister of Mines, and the prospecting was supervised by the Inspectors of Mines.

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