ORGANISING FEATS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 31, 6 February 1931, Page 14

ORGANISING FEATS

DETAILS OF WORK

GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Tributes to the work of tho people of the devastated areas in organising committees to meet tho countless emergencies of the situation were expressed by Messrs. P. Jfraser, E. Semple, and W. Nash, M.P.'s, who returned to-day from Napier and Hastings. They state that wonderful work has been accomplished under most hazardous circumstances by the officers and crew of the Veronica, the police, the fire brigades, tho P. and T> officials, and citizens. Not only havo the men stood up to the situation splendidly, but the women have shown amazing courage in most trying circumstances. What struck them was the complete absence of panic. Under the direction of'the member for Napier, Mr. W.. E. Barnard, a meeting was called at 7.30 on tho following morning, and with the co-operation of the naval men from the three warships and tho seamen on the vessels in port, and the Commissioner of Police (Mr.W. G. Wohlmann), comprehensive arrangements wero made for supplies of food and medical and nursing services. Arrangements were also made to get communication with the outlying districts, demolish dangerous buildings, and collect accurate information of casualties. It is practically certain that a census of the district will have to be taken before authentic information can be obtained of the death roll. Mri Spilling, the secretary of the Thirty ■ Thousand Club, is in charge of this work in cooperation with" the police. Brigadier Green, of the Salvation Army, has taken control of the food supply and is organising its distribution. Tlie En-gineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department (Mr. F. W. Furkert), Mr. Thomson, second engineer of the Wellington City Council, Mr. Dinnie, of the Public Works Department, and Messrs. Clapcott and Corbett are superintending the demolition of buildings and clearing away of debris, etc., and the establishment of communication to outside districts. The problem of sheltering the homeless is in the hands of the officers from Trentham and Sergeant-Major Fisher. The Bed Cross has taken charge of tho evacuation. The medical services were in charge of the superintendent of the hospital until tho arrival of the Assistant-Director of Public Health(Dr. Watt). The meeting, was attended by the Hon. E. A. Eansom, the Hon. B. Masters, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, and the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, who promised every assistance by the Government. Tho response to the S.O.S. for doctors, nurses, and medical supplies was adequate for the requirements, and most of the injured were removed to hospitals down the line as far as Wellington. At the meeting the three members pledged the Labour Party to give any assistance the Government would require, and also said that they could be assured of the co-operation of the people of Wellington. -, At Hastings they found that a conimitte'e had been set up with Major Holderness in charge. The committee had mado arrangements for the supply of 4000 loalves and other foodstuffs daily from Palmcrston North, and had commandeored for distribution all food that had not been destroyed. This was being distributed from a theatre. Volunteer police had been placed in charge of the devastated business and commercial areas of the town, and no one was allowed inside the area without permission. Steps were> also taken to insure supplies of benzine, and arrangements were made for the recovery of dead bodies. These were placed in. the Y.M.C.A. Inquests were being held and permits for burial given. A committee in charge of the ex-Mayor (Mr. Maddison) was superintending tho burial, and one of iieir problems was the inadequate supply of coffins. The whole of the oi'gauisation work was wonderful. It was impossible to exaggerate the extent of the damage. It baffled description. In the opinion of the three Wellington members the first consideration should be the recovery of the bodies, the clearing away of debris, and the demolition of dangerous buildings. The' earthquake proved conclusively that Tio more brick buildings should be erected in New Zealand. In tho devastated area there was hardly a brick building, and their collapse had accounted for the loss of many lives.