SITUATION IN HAND

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

SITUATION IN HAND

ORGANISED HELP

GENERAL CONTROL MEASURES

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post") AUCKLAND, This Bay. Mr. Trevor M. Geddis, managing dir- ] eetor of "The Daily Telegraph," Napiery arrived in Auckland this morning. In the course of an interview he stated that when he left Napier by car at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon the situation was well in hand. The Dunedin and Diomede arrived early in the day, and landed parties of sailors, who were placod throughout Napier and Hastings, and had complete) control. Mr. i\ W. Furkert, Public .Works engineer, together with the heads of Government Departments, had complete charge of the sanitation and water supplies. Mr. Dinnie, Public Works engineer, was in charge of policing and the demolition .of damaged buildings. Large quantities of food were being supplied by the Government and private suppliers, and these were being concentrated at distribution depots. All food was being issued free. A Bpecial committee had been set up to issue tents and arrange accommodation. Ample supplies of blankets had arrived. A special committee was also given control of the roads surrounding Napier, and everywhere traffic directors were assisting. The medical arrangements were placed in tho direct charge of Dr. Biggs, superintendent of Napier Hospital. . Ministers of religion and social workers were formed into a committee to assist in obtaining records of the casualties. The police, in conjunction with the naval parties, were in charge of the town, and were engaged in searching for bodies and attending to the bmial of the dead. A GENERAL EXECUTIVE. 3for the general control of relief work au oxecutivc committee had been set up, and was in charge of tho situation. This committee consisted of the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, the Hon. B. Masters, the Commissioner of Police (Mr. Woblmann), Commodore Blake, the Mayor of Napier (Mr. Vigor Brown), the Hospital Board chairman (Mr. Morse), and Mr. W. E. Barnard, M.P. Supplies of medical requirements had arrived with an adequate number of doctors and nurses, and the evacuation of the injured and sick was being effected with tho utmost expedition. Many of the injured had been accommodated on tho racecourse, at M'Lean Park, at Nelson Park, and at Awatoto. A special committee had been formed for tlio purpose of arranging the evacuation from Napier and otherwise obtaining the needs of the people. A house-to-house visitation was carried

out, and a general inquest on the dead was hold yesterday at the Courthouse, where relatives and friends identified bodies, which were immediately buried. It was announced that the burial of tho unidentified bodies would.be deferred as long as possible. Mr. Geddis stated that the road between Napier and Palmerston North contained two long streams of cars coming from and going to the scene of the disaster, those coming being refugees and those en route to Napier being Bed Cross cars and other relief vehicles. This had gone on all day. At each town through Hawkes Bay committees had refreshment booths organised for the comfort and sustenance of refugees. PRECAUTIONS AGAINST DISEASE. In view of the long spell of dry weather experienced in the district, great fears were being entertained as to the possibility of an outbreak of disease, and strict instructions were being issued everywhere to guard against such a possibility. . The water supply was entirely dislocated, and the town sanitary services wore completely out of order. So great was the extent of the damage that several weeks must elapse before all bodies were recovered. The wholo community had • taken the disaster philosophically, and everyone presented a brave front and was co-operating to assist in every possible way. There was no suggestion of disorder, so far as survivors were concerned, and the situation was now under very capable control. > "Many'of the business people will be ruined," said Mr. Geddis, "and every business man is wondering if the insurance companies are going to stand behind them in their disastrous misfortune. Unless something is done in this direction many old established firms will go out of existence. It is the general opinion in Napier that quite a large number of casualties, are yet to be reported, but every endeavour is being made to obtain a complete list without delay."