THOSE BONUSES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1269, 26 October 1911, Page 6

THOSE BONUSES.

• 9 TEE IRON INDUSTRY. ' Tho bonus proposals of tho Iron awl Steel Industry Bill wero defended by the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) in hid reply to a question by Mr. J. I'. Luke, who" had suggested that tho l'arapara deposits of iron ore should bo worked by tho State. Tim Prime Minister's reply, which was among those prink*! and circulated yesterday, was as follows:— "The Government has fully considered tlio question of resuming the loams and starting State ironworks, but while recognising that there are many arguments which may be urged in favour of this course, there o.to also drawbacks to it. Tho proposed bonuses aro very moderate, only about one-third of those offered by tho Commonwealth, and not one-twentieth of those already paid by Canada. Tho present holders of tho rights liavo ppout considerable sums of money in maintaining tho leases and trying to get capital to work tlio. deposits, and a Court would probably awtu'd them such moneys on resumption. This would add to tho cost of establishing State works, and might equal tho amount of tho bonuses saved by commencing such works. Tire Government thinks the proposals in the Iron and Steel Industry Bill are fair, while tho rights of tho Slato aro safeguarded under tho Bill."