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Chronicle (Levin), 18 May 1948, Page 8

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Press Association)

Financial Aid For Flood Victims

(Per

GISBORNE, May 17. The pi'ovision of linaacial aid to tliej flood sufferers, was discass'etl at 'a eon i ferenee between t'lie Mayor (Mfc. N. H Bull), Mr. F. Laiig'behi, Public Wbfk* engineer, Mr. C. H. Clinkai'd, of ttuTreasury, " Mr. B. W. Coleman, Chdc' Seeretary of Housing, and represenim tives of local bodies aud settlers' as sociatioiis. Mr. Ulinkard outlined ai'rangementh linder whic'h grants aad loans can Ive made avaiiable: — (1) Grants to eoyer living expelises where income has been lost owing n the flood, and no otlxer sotirces of finance are avaiiable. (2) Grants for the repair or repia :» nient of houseliokl furnishings or pe> sonal efl'ects damaged or lost througn the flood, where the damage or loss in flict-s hardship. (3) Loans to repair or replace dara age or loss of buildings, stot'k or farm in g imp ro veni ents . Every case would be treated on its mei'its. Tmmediate relief could b>? made in grants, but there wotild be in teres't charges on the loans for the i\ pair or replacement of capital assetunder the third heading. Applicatioufor loans wonld be investigated by tio State Advances Department with tio assistanee of the Department of Agr culture. Grants for the replacement oi household furnishings and personal ef fects, would also he handled by tio 'State Advances Corporation. It was recognised that many pe. pl ■ must have lost the sources of their in come overnight and these cases would be treated with extreme urgencv The extent of the damage to liigh ways in the district was not enormous stated Mr. F. Langbein. The principa1 nroblems would be the reinstatement o: eounty roads and bridges. Teleplo no, tolegraph and mail services were a'mosl. restored to norma! this morning, mails for tlre north being despatched along the East Coast route and sonth maiis being trucked to Muriwai, connecting With the railcar. Inward sonth tnails have all arrived, but a despatch from Auckland last Thursday is marooucd between Matawai and Te Karaka and is cxpectcd tonight. Aft,or being blockod by floods since Friday, the main north road via Waioeka. was o])en in daylight todav for urgeut traflic. The main blockage is expeeted to be clear tomorrow. Other routes are open.