EARTHQUAKE FUND

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 37, 13 February 1930, Page 20

EARTHQUAKE FUND

SoMARY' OF POSITION | GRANTS MADE TO DATE ;'i •; (By Telegi-apli.—Press Association.) ::! oil I OKOTORTJA, 12th February. • The Prime Minister (Et. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward), as chairman, of the Central .Earthquake Committee, made the ..following, statement, briefly indicating :!the progress1 of relief measures in; eon■inection with tho earthquake: — . , ; "At the last meeting of tho Central "Earthquake ;Comn^ttco grants totalling £51,432 8s Id for the repair of damage were authorised. iThe committee had previously authoT'•iaii grant?; amounting to £2420 14s Bd, •^Bo:that: the' total authorities at the date ;of the last meeting of the committee ■/were £53,853 2s9d.' An executive com-■-mittee was appointed to deal with- any -other application that might be receiv«ed, and up to the present the executive Shas authorised- grants amounting to •£& 19,393,' 143 sd. Thus the total grants -authorised by the- Central Earthquake »|CGa (jittee for'the repair of earthquake 'i'damige to-property/as distinct'from rlexponditure connected with' ;■ refugees, to settlers on account' of Soss-of aqcess,-and pensions for widows "and dependants of persons' killed-dur-•Jng the earthquake, amount to £73,----4246-17s:2d. ■-- • «: : REBUILDING OF EOADS. ;'- ; r,\ "Applications for assistance are.still 'being received from some of the', disjtrict committeesi and are being dealt J'^vith by the executive of the Central -Committee, and in. addition the ,execuiitive is. -investigating complaints it that -haVe l)een made regarding insufficiency tot the assistance already granted. .-;iWhen- these matters.are finalised, a ' ineeting of the / Central Earthquake i'iOommittee wiU be .leld. : l[ <'In regard to those cases wherer.set-~jt!erii>tare%ttfiblo:vthrougli'i'-laek,..i;9fy!road ;vnoce3S "to' work -their farms'tho com--jnittee has authorised the payment of 'allowances .until' such times as road 'iacpess is restored. Allowances amounting .to' approximately & 80 pet week are I at pres_ent being paid, and it .is impossible :at jthe; moment, to determine the ."■total amount" that will be required on ;:;i]tjiis account. ,■ . .... ;•'; . . ;.i '"Concerning" the question' of assiat•ijance for widows and dependants of '.'.pwsqiis.i'kyie.d."during the [ earthquake, •'the,;committee at its last meeting re-"solVed-to v request "the Commissioner- of Pensions to investigate and report as to what provision would be reasonable to make out of the relief fund, on this 'account. Tho report of the Commissioner will be considered at the next meeting of the committee. It is probable that approximately £20,000 will be required for the purpose of providing for the ! widows and dependants of those; who lost their lives as a result of the earthquake. "The foregoing summary does not provide for the' whole of the charges on the Central Fund, but covers only the authorities definitely issued by the Central Committee. The fund has to meet the charges incidental to .the care of refugees from the affected areas immediately following the disturbance. In addition to thfs authority was given for repairs up to £15 to be carried ont in the Buller and Karamea districts without reference to the Central Committee, and the total expenditure tinder these headings is at present uncertain. A. full statement of the fund and commitments thereon will, however, be placed before the Central Committee at its next meeting."