The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-03-14
GAVE THEM GOLD MINES.
Australia's Method of Caring for
Her Unemployed
An Experiment That Proved TO Be
Great Success In Providing for Poor
People Who Were Entirely
Destitute.

An Experiment. That Proved TO He
Great Success In Providing for Poor
People Who Were Entirely
DestItute.
An odd means OF helping the unem-
ployed was devised by the government
OF Victoria during last winter. when
trade was duller and distress more
acute and general than in very many
wears past. Il consisted. SAYS a cor
respondent of the New York sun, in
actually presenting gold mines TO the
unemployed wOrlSmen. Not only this,
but transportation TO the mines was
furnished, and also tools to work II
and provisions to last until it began To
pan out. There are scattered through
the colony auriferOus gullies and
streams and old diggings that have
been worked out, so far as adequate
commercial returns are concerned. but
which NAV vet be made to Yield liv
ing 10 any one who viii seek hard for
it The living is not good enough 10
attract gold seekers in good times. but
at time like the past winter, when
thousands of unemployed men, with
dependent and destitute families,
walked the streets OF Melbourne. glad
TO get even crusts and crumbs, such a
living as the old diggin!s afford was
one TO be fought for. The reason why
men did not set out TO obtain this liv-
ing was. of course, because capital was
needed to reach the diggings and To
work them. The department of mines
send experts 90 the old mining regions
10 ascertain where there would be
most likelihood of the unemployed
worl5rnen getting enough gold to afford
a living. Some regions that would
have yielded fair returns TO expert
enced miners were unsuited for the en-
deavors of the promiseuous workers,
willing but unskilled, who were sub
sisting on charity in Melbourne. To
To some of the better of these regions
parties of unemployed were sent in
charge of one or two experienced
miners But many places were found
where unslIilled men might get enough
gold from the creeks and rivers to af-
ford what would be to them, under the
circumstances, n good living.
About three thousand men were sent
ont by the government to these old
diggings during the winter and most /
of them were accompanied by their
families. Free railway passes were
provided TO the station nearest the |
place where they We're TO prospect, !
and. where possible, further transpor-
tation was also furnished. On arriv- |
ing at the diggings thirty shillings |
We're given to each man for the pur-
chase of provisions and supplies and |
also a few simple tools. Experienced |
miners were on hand TO show them |
how TO get TO work, and remained in |
the region 50 long as necessary. |
Twenty to fifty and hundred families |
were located in some of the diggings |
Most of the districts selected for these |
settlements were along streams and i
here was generally found land suitable /
for raising fruits and vegetables. The |
experiment proved a success Almost |
all the people thus sent out have been /
making a fair living. Some have had /
10 work hard with little returns and 4
have needed assistance from the gov
ernment, but the great majority have
done really well Some of the men
have made an average of from twenty /
10 thirty shillings week all the time
they have been at the diggings, which
was sufficient to maintain their fami-
lies in comfortable circumstances Few
there are who have not been able TO
make at least a livelihood. Some re-
turned to Melbourne and other cities
to take up their old lines of work, but
q great many are remaining at the Dig
gings. satisfied with their present con-
dition, and doubtless in many cases
hoping TO strike a rich patch.
The government also settled about
eighteen hundred men, most Of them
with families, on government land,
under the provisions of an act recently
passed for the formation of village
settlements and homestead aSsocia-
tions and communities. Thirty-five
such settlements were plotted out and
unemployed men with their families
placed on them, with the means of
commencing to obtain a livelihood
from the products Of the soil The
Elan of most of these settlements was
that of cooperative company, and
great care was exercised to appOrtion
the unemployed among the thirty-tive
settlements so that their individual
capabilities might be Of the best advan-
tage for the common good. The plan
was something similar to that of the
Hirseh settlements of exiled Russian
Jews in Argentina All these commu-
mites are reported TO be doing well,
and in but few instances have settlers
deserted them. The winter climate in
Victoria is, of course, very mild, and
in July, the coolest month, it is rare
thing for the temperature to fall TO
freezing.
Employment was also found for some
fifteen hundred of Melbourne's unem-
ployed during the winter by the de-
partment of railways and the depart
ment of public works. Altogether,
though times were duller and distress
more general and acute during last
winter than in many years, it was in
no way so apparent on the surface as
in much better years There We're few
professions of idle men through the
city streets and few demonstrations of
the unemployed, such as attracted uni
versal attention TO Australia the pre-