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THE BUSH FIRES

REPORTS OF THE LOSSES CAUSED ASSISTANCE URGENTLY NEEDED By Telceraph.—Press Association. Raetilii, March 30. A number of people throughout the Dominion are eoraewliat at a. loss to assess tho amount of damage done by tho recent lire, and consequently to arrive at an amount which they feel they should donate towards the relief of suffering and want. The following official information supplied by tho Belief Committee n'ill be of interest: —Nine sawmills wero completely burnt out, at each of which a large number of families wore affected. At these sawmills nearly all the mill wliares were destroyed, and with them the whole of tho furniture and effects, representing in many eases' the all of the workers. In Raetilii township over fifty homes were completely wiped out. These home's wero tho tangible representation of years of pioneering toil. The insurances in all cases will fall far short of the amount required to reinstate them.

The Crown lands officers state thati an area of 35 : 000 acres was swept by the fire, and in the vicinity of Eaetihi 1700 acres of grass, representing a, value of £26.000 i has lioen practically; destroyed. Sheep, numbering 30.000. and valued at £50,000, have been burnt. Forty homesteads and a largo number of woolsheds have been completely destrovod; also fencing to the value of £20,000.

Thn National Efficiency Board, during its. recent visit to this district, called for a report giving a list of individual losses of both settlers and worker?, nnd when this report is to hand a comprehensive statement will bo made through tho Press of the Dominion A stronce committee of nrofeseional and business men has thoroughly organised the distribution of relief, r.nd -with the valuable assistance of a number of Salvation Army officers ami Y.M.O.A. nion is giving immediate and eonitablp relief to the. main suftVrprs. When ii is remembered that tho Wniinarino is a haclcblock district to which the best of the pioneers emigrated with a view to having a home out of the/ dense hush, thai; they had struqplecl for years, and that when, after th«se years of strenuous endeavours, tliev snw the light of financial stability' .ihrad. in one ni<*ht all their toil was broncht to nought, it is feU that the people of the Dominion will realise that is urgent npedof assistance, and that this will be immediately forthcoming.

SCENE VISITED BY MR. J. P. LUKE, M.P-

IMPRESSIONS AND SUCCESTIONS.

The Mayor of "Wellington- (Mr. J. P. Luke) returned to Wellington on Saturday from a visit to Oliakune and Raotihi and the surrounding districts, which were swept recently by bush fires. When interviewed by a Dominion reporter, Mr. Luke, who spent a full day on the ground, and motored through much of the back-country affected by tho fire, had much of interest to say regarding the disposition of the relief funds and other kindred phases of the disaster. At the outset, Mr. Luke stated that Auckland had put up £2000 and Wanganui and Palinerston North had, along with Feilding and Hawera, contributed a good amount. Wellington, however, had been a little backward so far, dnd he felt sura that we would have to do better, as tho money would bo required. In this connection he had received a generous donation of £200 towards the local fund from tho Now Zealand Warehousemen's Association. Tho members of the association are: Messrs. Bing, Harris, and Co., Ltd., Mucky, Logan, Caldwell, Ltd., Ross and Gleridining, Ltd., and Sargood, Son, and Ewen, Ltd. Some Pertinent Suggestions. "I was invited," continued Mr. Luke, "to meet tho committee, which I did at Raetihi on Good Friday, and had a good insight into the work of the organisation. Tho donations of goods have been splendid, but I advised (and I think they will act on it) to pay cash without delay to all the men, and this will then clear up quite sixty or so claimants, who would be discharged for good. Tho farmers and others who have business concerns will be a more difficult proposition, as insurance and other matters must be gone into; but it will be good work to eliminate from the list of claimants to the fund those whose only possessions wore their domestic and personal effects; I suggested that a single man could be fairly well provided for by cash paymont of, say, up to £20, and married couples £50 to £70 each, and a little more, according to family. The cash would be forthcoming if the public knew the need of same; and wages men would be in a position to accept employment in some other quarter if their old employment was gone. It would enable them to readjust their affairs at once, and- become efficient without further delay. The great regret is the loss of lives, and no monetary loss la comparable to the sad loss of the family who were overtaken in tho fury of the fire, and so perished. Some of the settlers are badly hit, and will take a long time to recover from the blow; others have means to again make a start. One farmer, who had been settled on his section for thirty years, was very brave, and said the help ha needed was to tide over the claims of the concerns that act for the farmers. I am sure tho institutions will bo generous towards their clients and a mutual arrangement will bo secured that the independence of the settler will be maintained and payments will bo forthcoming later to liquidate advances or to pay up obligations when earning power has been restored. One farmer, who had been sottlod in the district for thirty years, who lost almost all ho had, including all his buildings and stock, told mo tho fire would not bo an unmixed evil, as it would put £3 an acre on tho value of his land—tho burn has been so complete. When grassed again, the land would carry far more stock than before tho fire. Apportioning tho Fund. "My advice," continued Mr. Luke, "is: (1) To pay the men who lost their all, and have no chance to retrieve their position only by the work of their hands for others (the wages men) without delay. (2) Assistance to be rendered to those settlers who' have recently taken up land, and have no funds to draw on to mako a fresh start. (3) Temporary assistanco to those who have some means, but not enough to get stock and house requirements. (4) Loans from the Government to those who have larger areas, but who need immediato capital to got the maximum return from the property, as production is essential for the farmer and the Dominion. The Government should make the advances to bo repaid on terms to be agreed upon. (5) Assistanco similar to No. i to be given to business concerns that can again carry on profitable undertakings. Tho advances from the Government can be well determined, and tho sturdy, independent character of tho aided can be maintained." Concluding, Mr. Luko remarked: "I am convinced that it is tho duty of the Government to come to tho aid of the settlers in the manner I have suggested."

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19180401.2.19

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 164, 1 April 1918, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,200

THE BUSH FIRES Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 164, 1 April 1918, Page 4

THE BUSH FIRES Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 164, 1 April 1918, Page 4

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