C.—2,

Towards the end of the financial year the sum of £2,000 was also allocated to the Department by the Unemployment Board to enable subsidies to be granted to unemployed married miners to prospect approved areas, and of this amount the sum of £1,864 2s. lOd. had been authorized up to the end of March. Seventy-three men were given employment in this way. Provision totalling £8,441, including £7,441 in the Public Works Fund, was made for expenditure by way of direct grants and subsidies for roads and tracks, of which the sum of £4,000 was voted for expenditure during the year. The balance of the unexpended authorities at the 31st March, 1930, and those issued during the year amounted to £6,767 Bs. 6d. Of this amount the sum of £5,381 Bs. 4d. was expended, which was greater by £1,381 Bs. 4d. than the amount actually voted for the year. As usual, all applications for assistance in this direction were carefully investigated, and assistance was granted in those cases where the results of the investigations warranted it. The expenditure on schools of mines amounted to £3,672 4s. 3d.

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