That Gold Miners' Relief Fund.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 26, 1 September 1911, Page 3

That Gold Miners' Relief Fund.

WHERE IS IT?

Through the columns of "The Worker" permit mc to ask those responsible for the administration of v the above fund why it is that, although four months have elapsed since the regulations came into force; and although repeated claims have been made by injured persons during that time —why is it that in not one single instance has compensation been forthcomiiiig ?

I speak for Reef ton goldfield. The fund is administered, we .are-told,, by the Public Trustee, who acts upon tho certificate of an .inspector of mines.

On. behalf of injured persons I have claimed on the Public Trust Office, Wellington, .without getting even so much as a reply. I next applied through tno local inspector of mines, who, in turn, forwarded the claims to the Public Trust Office; Wellington. The first of these was forwarded three months ago; result to date, nil. Other claims are lying at our office- awaiting the fate of earlier ones.

During his p re-sessional address, our misreprasentative (Sir Arthur Robert) was questioned on this matter and promised, as usual, to make the usual inquiry. Not result to date, nil.

The inspector of mines for this district can't get any definite reply to claims; he shakes his head and says "ho duimo." The Public '.{'rust refuses to answer correspondence on the subject, i

They phthisis-stricken a "d ntumed miner to. whose industry this alleged relief fund owes its existence, is beginning to vaguely wonder if the fund really exists or whether a confidence trick has been played upon him. In. this latter sxispicion he- is justified, because up to date of writing the Gold Miners' Relief Fund has proved just as big a myth as the proverbial uncle from Fiji. Bring an alarm clock round to that Public" Trust Office, -Mr. Editor, and "wake 'cm."—l am, etc., M. FAGAN, Secretary Inangahua Miners' I.TJ.W. lleefton, August 15.