The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1879

Dunstan Times, Issue 881, 7 March 1879, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1879

Benea'h the rule of men entirely jcst the pen is mightier them the SWORD.

Thf. sympathy that is being expressed on all sides for the bereaved sufferers by the late dreadful catastrophe at Kaidingate, we suppose, at the saire time hone, will extend to this portion of the Province. At the late meeting held in Dunedin to take into consideration the question of relief, amongst the many suggestions was one hy Mr 11. Oilurs, that of considering whether a C illiery Relief Fund should not he established, as he was afraid wo could not think this would ho the only colliery accident that would hap iou m the Province. The Ih v I). M. Bti;at;t also spoke, ami after expressing his conviction that the appeal for relief would be most liberally responded to. said “ he only hoped the meeting would devise some wise way of dealing with the funds that would be got, for, as one who went occasionally in and amongst the poor, he knew that liberality did not always relieve. It sometimes created misery.’’ The suggestions of both gentlemen aie worthy of deep attention, and we hope the gentle men who in this district take upon them selves the task of collecting subscriptions will deliberate well on the points raised The difficulty to meet is how to produce the greatest benefit from the smallest outlay, and we trust that some happy means will he devised. The sum mentioned as being required to meet the exigencies of the case is fdO.OUO. and by the very handsome sums received daily, and from the expressions of sympathy received from all classes and from so many places in this Colony and from Australia, there is every probability of the total received being largely in excess of the sum mentioned. The distress of the bereaved widows and orphans demands the utmost sympathy to relieve them of the load of care that has been so suddenly heaped upon them ; but whether a too liberal gift cf money will produce that desired relief is very questionable. As wo said before, the real difficulty is not how much, but how to give, and we reiterate the hope that before a final distribution of I the sums subscribed is decided on, the sub--1 fort ’’ re eiv ” • vn d- , ,t •

selves. v*e have thought that to keep or ‘nduce the whole of the families to remain

at the scene of the disaster would ho highly impolitic, and that if they were scattered throughout the country manifold benefits would result. Not alone would they have a better chance of helping themselves, and thus the sooner able to be independent of the relief fund, but they would he removed fi am the scene that can be anything but a happy one to them. Anl further, their presence, wherever they raicht be located, would to an extent, however small that might be. relieve the labour market. Boys as apprentices, and girls as domestic seivants, are in demand everywhere ; and we are sure that if one family was placed here and another elsewhere, they' would very quickly be absorbed amonust the population, and they themselves would soon forget so far as want is concerned, their bereavement, and ( he country that the disaster had taken place; while if they all remain where they now are, they will for all time be recipients of relief; and the question arises—what will become of the children?

Since writing the above, we are informed that both the County Chairman and Ihe Warden of the district have received subscription lists from the Mayor of Dunedin, accompanied with the request that they wall collect subscriptions in aid of the fund. As per advertisement in another column, it will be seen that a meeting will be held in the Town Hall, Clyde, on Tuesday eveninc next, for the purpose of appointing a Committee , and the taking such other steps as may be deemed expedient under the circumstances We shall hope to see a numerous attendance, not merely of sympathisers, but of those who will he prepared to extend in a substantial form the hand of relief.