How Government Will Aid Tornado Victims

Chronicle (Levin), 31 August 1948, Page 7

How Government Will Aid Tornado Victims

press Assoclation)

(Per

HAMILTON, August 30. Tlie cardinal principle of polxcy laid dowu -by the Minister of Finance, Mr. ■Naeh, and Minister of Rehabilitation, Mr. Skinner, coneernmg aasistance tixul is to be granted suft'erers froxu the tornado in Frankton and Hamilton l&stWednesday, and annoxxixced today by the Miixisters before tlxey left Hamilton for Wellington, is restonlUpn as far as possible of property to the value prioi; to the disastcry it being generally understood tlxat- no pr.olit shouid be made. Mr. Naslx stated tlxat to exxsure propor administratioh and an equitable de cision regardxng grants .necessary lo ineet tlxo costs incurred in the rostorayion or improveinent, it would be nece-s-. sary for all elaims to bo oxainined ixi relation to the value of. property, mortgages and other iuetors. . The following loeal committee was established to dotermine tlie terms and conditions where owxxers wero required to tind some part of the costs of rostoration and to decide any other niatters involved in plaeing peojile back on their l'eet agaixx: — Messrs. H. IX Oaro (Mavor of Hamilton), H. M. Hanimond (rnem ber of the city conncil), J. H. WV Barber ' (dist-rict rehabilitation offieer), E. O. l)av ' (member of tlie rehabilitation loans committee), E. IX Exelby (Frankton Ratcpayers ' and Citizens' Associution) and A. R. Tiliby (secretary of the 1 Hamilton Carpenters' Union). Oompcteht. authorities, it is understood, estimate tlxat the loss from the tornado in Frankton and Hamilton tnav 1 io nuich less tluui the £1,000,000 at lix's; stated. iSome believc that less tlxan £300,000 will eover the darnage. - Armmng progress with restoration ) was made dnring the xveekend by 300 workmen and hundreds of volunteers. Farmers in the area extendiag to ward t'ainbridge have been asked to keep a lookout for roofing iron earriml there by the iornado, and to salvagv any suitable material L'or repair work at Hamilton. Oue farmer at Matangi has sent back 75 sheets of iron t'rom liis property. The assistanee given Hamilton in mipplying much-needed material was ro vealed by a tour of the devastated area. Many of the homes now have new roolingi iron. ' Lining for ceiling«, plaster iioard, spouting and other ma terials whieh have been in ■ dosperately short sujiply in Hamilton for the pasl few years, have also app.eared mifaeuiously. The speed with whieh the houses ai*e being put in order was shovvn by cnt hoime in"Lake Hoad, where four carnenters were putting up rafters. Along ide was a brieklaver replaeing th" chimney with new brieks. Another carj .lentry gang was reptiiring the weather bonrds. and glaziers .mve/'ey; lixitig windows. . Hfp . euab,le; . . work, - to go on a- • ,-nioothly as jiossible. partie ularly the replaeing oi' power and telephone lines, •i!1 sightseer.s- are . being exeluded from the area. > vHfti;lr.!*.Wi v>red ri+r»«the, nianiilto n area on Wednesday movning, before tlie town was hit bv..the tornado, was pickod up near Matangi, nine mi-le:s away. A ro 1 ! of linoleum was lifted from a damaged wijrphouse. byntlux tornado aipVj^e.posHe.J

three miles away on the Cambridge road. A relief fund started by the Mayor of Hamilton has roached £3;"jOO.