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has decided to strike a levy of 3d. per ton on all coal produced in New Zealand and thus create a fund to be invested by the Public Trustee and administered by an Amenities Council from which financial assistance can be obtained for the provision of social amenities in mining townships. ASSISTANCE TO MINING Subsidies and loans to the mining industry during the year ended 31st March, 1950, amounted to £3,225 3s. 6d. Details are: — £ s. d. Coal-mining .. .. .. 2,821 1 0 Scheelite-mining .. .. .. .. 128 0 0 Gold-mining .. .. .. .. 276 2 6 Total .. .. .. .. £3,225 3 6 Expenditure on subsidies for the maintenance and construction of roads in mining areas for the year ended 31st March, 1950, was £2,416 12s. Id., of which £2,274 18s. 9d. was in respect of coal-mining areas and £l4l 13s. 4d. in respect of metal-mining areas. MINERS' BENEFITS Miners' pensions originated in the Miners' Phthisis Act, 1915, and since Ist April, 1939, have been administered by the Social Security Commission in terms of the provisions of the Social Security Act, 1938. One of the necessary qualifications is that applicants should be seriously and permanently incapacitated by miner's phthisis or totally and permanently incapacitated by heart or other occupational disease associated with mining service in New Zealand. The rate of benefit for a miner is £l3O per annum, increased by £l3O for a wife. The widow of a miner who died while in receipt of a miner's benefit may be granted a benefit of £lO4 per annum during widowhood. The following is a summary of the operations for the year ended the 31st March, 1950: £ Payments from Ist November, 1915, to 31st March, 1949.. 1,992,207 Payments from Ist April, 1949, to 31st March, 1950 .. 120,061 £2,112,268 Number of new grants for the year ended 31st March, 1950 — Males .. .. .. .. 16 Females .. .. .. .. .. 7 (widows of miners). 23 Number of benefits in force at 31st March, 1950 Married miners .. .. .. .. 307 Single, widowed &c., miners .. .. 244 Widows .. .. .. .. 85 636

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