Government Relief.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 3, 16 October 1914, Page 2

Government Relief.

POSITION OF THE WIDOWS The position of the widows who suffered bereavement as a consequence of the iate disaster was explained in the House of Representatives on Wed ties lay by the Minister of Mines (Hon. W. Fraser), who stated that all applications for benefits from the fund (evidently the Coal Miners’ Relief Fund, and not the fund subscribed by residents of the Dominion) must be made to the Mines Department. They will be forwarded to the Public Trustee who is administering the fund. It appears, according to the daily papers, that each widow is entitled to receive £SO and a funeral allowance of £ls, thus making a total of £65. The fund referred to by the Minister is that specified in the Coal Mines Act, 1908, Section 80, whereby the owner of every coal mine is bound to contribute one half-penny per ton on all coal sold, those contributions geing to the relief of miners injured while following their avocation, and for the relief of the families of coal miners who may be killed or injured while so working. In the regulations (page 2) any workmen permanently disabled may be granted a sum not exceeding £SO in satisfaction of all claims; while, should the accident prove fatal, the nearest relative may be granted a sum not exceeding TlOjto defray theTuneral expenses, and an additional sum, not exceeding £ls, may be granted to the widow or other near relative of such deceased work- , man, in full satisfaction of all claims. It will thus be seen that the statement of the Minister and the wording of the Act do not coincide.