ITALY'S SCOURGE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 397, 5 January 1909, Page 5

ITALY'S SCOURGE.

RELIEF WORK. STERN MEASURES AGAINST LOOTERS. WORK AMID THE RUINS. (BT TEtEOBAPH— TOESB ASSOCIATION—COPTBIOHt.) Rome, January 3. Queen Helena is working devotedly in the Messina Hospital, where there was a panic yesterday, in consequence of a slight earthquake shock. The Queen was slightly hurt in trying to prevent a stampede. Tho citizens of Rome have decided to present tho officers and mon of the foreign warships with medals commemorative of tbo heroism displayed by them in connection with tbo earthquake disaster. RELIEF MEASUREB. TEE BENEVOLENCE OF THE POPE. "Paris, January 3. The Paris journal "Lo Tomps" states that His Holiness the Pope has opened a credit of a million lire (about £40,000) for the sufferers, in addition to his other gift, and is also establishing a hospital of five hundred beds at San Marco, in Calabria. ■ New York, January 3. The United States Congress will meet on Monday to pass President Roosevelt's suggested appropriation of 600,000 dollars '(£100,000) for the earthquake relief fund. SOVEREIGNS RETURN HOME. SWELLING FUNDS. "(Rec. January 5, 0.15 a.m.) , Rome, January 4. King "Victor Emmanuel and Queen Helena have returned home. They received an ovation. ■. London, January. 4. Tho Mansion House Fund has reached £80,000. Tho Duke of Connaughi has sent 100 guineas. Lord Minto, Vicoroy of India, .is organising an Indian fund. Rome, January 4. Parliament will meet on January 8, and | will vote thirty million lire for purposes of, immediate succour. j The Sultan of Turkey has sent £1000; the : Russian Red Cross Society, £4000. A THRILLING ESCAPE. TWO ENGLISHMEN AT MESSINA. (Rec. January 5, 0.80 a.m.) Rome, January. 4. An Italian engineer states that the new houses, 30ft. in height, that were erected in Reggio and Ferruzzano after tho earthquake of 1905, resisted' the shooks successfully. Mr. C. Caiger, a naval architect, and Mr. Doresa, a shipowner, both of London, are the only survivors of tho British people who were in the Trinacria Hotel, Messina. They givo a thrilling account of how in tbo darkness they lowered, with an improvisec). J ,roM[ a Swede and his wifo and child Ywho'were in the rooms adjoining their own) to the third floor, which alone was temporarily spared. Having descended themselves, they , s alt fpund'refuge-aboard tho steamer Afpnwen, bound to Cardiff. -> ; -,' .■ ','.. . .Melbourne, January-4." Tho Italian Consul has received a cablegram of sympathy from the Governor of New Caledonia.

LOOTERS SHOT. THE SEA GIVING UP THE DEAD. (Eec. January 5, 0.30 a.m.) Romo, January 4. Sixteen looters at Messina wcro shot and 600 were arrested yesterday. Somo wero at» tacking survivors. Others killed an Indian sailor and wounded a Carabineer and a Customs official. Tho sea is casting ashore hundreds of corpses, terribly mutilated. On tho other hand, corpses among the ruins are so numerous that it is impossiblo to bury them. Therefore, they havo to be'covered with limiS and buried at ; sea. The Vienna Volunteer Life-saving Society has sent to Sicily three camp kitchene capable of feeding 24,000 people daily. • ' Paris, January 4. : ' The French national subscription has reached £25,000. Berlin, January 4. The German subscription, just started, •has reached £10,000. London, January 4. The "Chronicle" hopes that Mr. Asquith will follow the example of tho United States Congress in voting a sum in relief. , A GRANT FROM THE DOMINION. ' CABINET TO CONSIDER. (BT TELEGRAPH—FBES3 ASSOCIATION) ... . ~ Christohurch, January i. This morning the Mayor of Christokuroh had a conference with Mr. Wallace. Consular Agent for Jtaly, regarding the matter of relief for th« sufferers by the earthquake. Mr Wallace eaid that he had already received a number of subscriptions to the fund, and Mr. Allison suggested that the Government should be com.munieated with and. asked to forward a sum on behalf of the.-pomimon. It is probable that the Mayor:will approach the' Government on the .matter.;. ■:/•■•. : ••■■■ ■••■ ■•.<.■ „ 4, . ■'■..',-. Chrlstchuroh, Later vSif. Joseph-Ward passed through Chrietohuroh to-night on . his ; way to Wellington. In the course of-an interview, he said that the matter of making a-Government grant to the earthquake relief fund would probably be considered at.the next Cabinet meeting. •' V ..—' vu ■■;.'.■•■■ . iOR THE DISTRESSED. . ■-.'■. ■•■ 'RESIDENTS ACTIVE, 'A moating 'of the Italian residents of the pity was: held/in the: Garibaldi Club last-even- , ing to consider what steps should be taken to raise money for the; relief of those who -. have •suffered' so terribly in 'the-hig-'earthquakes' in ' Sioily arid soy thernltalr. The chair-was occupied by Mr; JR. T. Bobertson, Italian Consul, who: was-supported by Mr. Milesi,. president of.the club, and Dr. Borghetti. 'It-was-decided that promptjme.asures should be taken to raise . a sum of money as quickly as possible for. transmission, to-• ltaly.'.whore _steps are being taken to administer relief to- the thonsands of sufferers. In! response to a collection made in the room-ithe sum of .£4l 11s. was raised It was Tesolved that-o monster entertainment-be given, at the .Town Hall (ifnossiblo) at"an earlv date in aid of the fundi Tho Wellington Pro- ; fessional Orchestra has offered its.services free arid offers, of assistance from other quarters have already been reoeived, indicating how this national, tragedy has touched tho hearts of all. To this end.a committee, consisting of Messrs 8.. T.vßfl'bertson, Dr. Borghetti, J; : Milesi, G." ;V. Gallato, ;and .Lecce, .were.' set up ,to■ make ■'the arrangements. ..._•' , The Italian Consul states that subscription lists, are , to. be deposited in each of the newspaper, offices, where: the smallest contributions will be /received and acknowledged. . .■~ •.'. An Anckland Press Association telegram.' reoeiyed /last evening,, states:-"Over ,has been recplved by the Mayor for the Italian disaster, loliof fund. .' '.■•'■' - ■ ■ .-■;• ••■ riorne advises the Telegraph Offiee:—"Private •telegranu for Messina are not admitted.- Thosefor'other localities in Sicily are sitll subject to considerable delay, and ucoepted at sender's , ti»k»" " i ' ■ ' ' .