EARTHQUAKE IN HAWKE'S BAY

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20173, 27 February 1931, Page 18

EARTHQUAKE IN HAWKE'S BAY

ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS.

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER. AVOIDANCE OP WASTE, {rajus association tslxobah.)

WELLINGTON, February 26. , The Prime Minister, the Bt. Hon. G. {W. Forbes, issued to-day the following statement regarding the administration of the earthquake relief funds, pad the steps taken by the. Governpnent to ensure economy and efficiency Sn the administration of the fundi "In considering what form the relief {should take, the central executive decided that the first consideration was tfor urgent, necessitous cases, and the personal requirements of those in distress. These principles had been adopted in connexion with all relief grant- j cd out of the funds. "It was recently stated, at a meetting of the local Belief Committee, WolDington, that the Government' had, uuftif a few days ago, spent £133,000 on (relief work in connexion with the earthquake disaster. Even ■if tho figure quoted were correct, which it is not possible to say until the detailed accounts are forthcoming, the statement is otherwise entirely incorrect. The Government has in no way been responsible, for the expenditure of moneys on tho work referred to, which includes feeding, clothing, sustenance, and essential services in respect of the sufferers in Hswke's Bay and in.the camps at Palmers ton North. These liabilities have been incurred by tho emergency committees, and; later by the local committees, whose operations are supervised by the Central EaTthquako Belief Committee, in- which is vested the administration of tho Earthquake Belief Fund. Payment How Required. "In the early stages N of tho disaster, It was necessary for those in charge {to grant all relief on a free basis. Now, : (however, those able to pay will be retanired to. do so, and an effort is also (being, made to obtain payment from {those who have been granted free reBief, and who are. considered to be Wide to make some- payment. "The Central Committee is fully ■lire to the necessity of exercising exIrene care and economy in the administration' of tho funds. Instructions have klready been issued to the local- comInittees, impressing upon them the necesbitjjr of strict economy in the purchase bf all stores, and in xelief expenditure kjexiarally. The committees are required Eo see that payments are, made for jb Cores and. goods purchased only on the authority of those oscers authorised by the committee to' give - orders. Belief is confined' to urgent necessitous aue*,'4a%& payments are.ifcado \ enly ?ia-icaseß*-in t whicir, aftcr careful payment is shoaipi, to be ■„ Im the/few dayssucceeding the'.earthS£^ b

r" - i I Parage "Money- .* v . j ''Similarly, it 1 Was-necessary to "give (authorities jfor -the payment of passage* byferry steamers'foi" earthquake (offerers desirous- of proceeding to the Booth Jdan<L\»The cpiipaittee has now taken control of this matter, .and Vetera passages from "the Souths Island mil only be authorised where 'evidence ii given that the applicant, intends re-

' tee*. XiLorder jthai the-committees may 1 ? mi dfartlter&isißted, ttievQovernjjient. Is | im Vma&la tie-whole wort of tlie committees to be ' eweiSim «"t a* 14 ''"®!? ler thjtfc>"ihe the eommitteos flw^tuljy'tee 9 rd«^': .foc'U tps< at. i, diistricf a.' the I regarding .the, adtak?n f -A tqi whleli tkey are'being subscribed. * ' fi- ■» 'f*? ''J; •* • »• , ' ' I The ! papterbiipr .Chi«n%r of CoinI" •hasy'^x&^TQyadin^educatiag, to beOield at 4 o'clock iiij, Maypr. &xehar> will preside, the ,-xwtliEe a& apjwal faf.the pub-' b fulfilling promise. - ' d' ■ sa £ n 7? secondajry ( ,s_ehQols : ,in *"■ - MuitacQWjr lave infonu'ed 4 'WBeting of of whom th^re 'Um VbjM Js 1 iA (AmiL . -al_

l;

MAYOR'S FUND.

JJST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS. The following 'additional subscriptions to the Mayor's fund for the Telief of sufferers by the Hawke's Bay earthquake are acknowledged:— ■ * •

£19,244 0 7 COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' FUND. The following additional subscriptions to the fund being raised by the Commercial 'Travellers' Association for the relief of sufferers by tho earthquake are acknowledged:— £ s. d. Previously acknowledged.. .1151 10 4 S. A. Orchard .. .. 22 0 Per Messrs P. Fcron and Son .... 407 £1157 12-11

HORORATA FUND.

The following contributions have lieeji made to the Hororata fund for earthquake relief: — , ' £ b. d. Mr G. Hall ... 10 0 0 Mr H. H. Thorn© ... 1 0 9 Mr Ross Murray ... 10 0 Mr HI. Prostidge ... 10 0 Mr H. Oliver ... 22 0 Hororata School Children 3 4 6 F'.N.F. - 010 0 Anonymous ...- 1 0. .0 Total to date' ■> ... £l9 16 6 "* > . N * I 1 L ' 1 TBtyPVA. DISTRICT. ''' relief work continues/in district, where £702 lis * 2d. Jias now been "subscribed td the Relief. Fund, although.' subscriptions have ndw practienllyceased, and assistance is beinggiven in other directions.

Among rerent donations is one of £2 2s from the Temuka Volunteer Fire Brigade j and. an. offer of. the use of i his miniaturo "golf links at the corAei* of Allnatt &troet and Even road has been received by , the Temuka EarthRelief Committee <fn>m Mr C. L. Beid. -Mx Iteid has suggested) that the committee use the links fat two evenings', and be suggested MaMi J 2nd an 4 3rd. His offer- includes \the : "payment o! all expenses and the cost of advertising, bo' the committee will receive the gross takings to devote towards! the fund; 'the committee 'has agreed to accept Mr - Reid's offer for the evenings lie suggests. An appreciation of Temuka's help in sending parcels of clotliQg has been refropt of Hastings (Mr R, Rctych)/ who says that gifts of clothing sent tjo the Nursing Association by several 'members of the Temuka Ladies' Executive were particularly useful. - > « '■ ■ 1 •• " / f r ' > WINED BUILDINGS. i T - ARpHI^TBCTS. (nut 4S80CU?10« T»LBO|UI£.) • ' - INYJ3BO A BGTLp, "February 26. . 'At tlreannual conference of Ze&laud Bnijdecs'-and Contractors' Federated Union -of .Employers to-day some oojnment was. piade'on.th'e suggestion] 'broadcasted in' connexion vvith the recent , -earthquake disaster in Hawke's Bay that the extent buildings and of loss of life'was attributable |n a" measure to faulty workby builders and' - tradesman. several delegates, "who had visited the .stricken area, -that "such a' suggestion was quite unwarranted and without day foundation in fact. ~ * ■ The'-follovring motion was carried upanimously after-some discussion:— "That the New 2|efiland' Builders' and Contractors' Federation deprecate* the action of individual architects in making public" concerning the workmanship of certain of the buildings destroyed in the recent, disaster which occurred in the Hawke'S Bay district, before a thorough investigation Of all the circumstances, surrounding the erec-' tion of such buildings." ' The president of the federation (Mr N. Cole) stated tljat both architects and builders had learnt; a great; deal from this which vhad<made^very apparent how inadequate the existing by-hiws were to counteract .this effect of, forced not-hitherto, considered in -"construction work.- «At ithe- same time/' he said, « we rea ont strongly the impueation made income quarters that a tremendous extent of the ruin was due evea jn a measure to faulty work by builders and tradesmen. This implication lias been made purely.by individuals and without any due investigation, and 1 prn certain that it can be directly refuted;. Sueh a terrific upheaval was never by builders or archiitects, and tfcere was; never any suspicion that it might occur. „ Buildings erected , undpr architects' • Supervision,; and, work .dope purely.by suffered the same fate, and* 'there is no shadow of reflection on the builders'or vHirk,meu. „ , \ \ ! -Continuing, Air --Cole said 1 .that the Government undoubtedly -fcad adopted a wise tourso in'deciding to frame -po- - mmion building' by-laws, having due Te--gard. to earthquake resistance, thereby ensuring the jbest.'possible 'protection to J-lifp and property.

£ a. d. Previously acknowledged 19,113 11 0 Schools as under:— Tai Tapu 3 16 6 Hare wood ; . 2 6 2 "West Eyrcton ... 1 10 0 Aylesbury 7 17 0 Waddington .; 1 1 9 Oxford District Higli .. . '47 8 Darfiold 2 17 6 Ataaliua ... 0 16 0 Belfast .. 3 15 3 Spencerville 0 10 0 Little Akaloa <13 0 Waikuku 0 17 6 Charing Cross .. 0 10 0 Selwyn .. .i 1 19 3 Springbanlt .. 0 15 0 Kaituna Valley 0 11 0 Clarkville. 3 0 0 H. and I.G. .. .. 0 5 0 Proceeds ' Concert, Civic Theatre, organised by Mrs Holmes 27 13 6 Employees Weeks, Ltd. ... ii 15 0 Broomfield School .. 0 12 6 Christchurch Working Men's Club > Sunday night.concert 7 6 0 Management and Staff Ford Motors (Canterbury), Ltd. 45 4 0 Fries ton Y.W. Bible Class 0 10 0 E.S.G. 0 10 0 South Brighton Surf Club Dance 5 0 0