CENTRAL CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 32, 7 February 1931, Page 15

CENTRAL CONTROL

COMMITTEE SET UP

IMMEDIATE ACTION

*: ' The setting-up of a Central Committee to administer the funds subscribed ,Mn response to the Prime Minister's: appeal 4tho people of New Zealand for. financial assistance in connection witii •the earthquake was announced _ last evening. • • Mr. Forbes stated that the •personnel of-the committee will bo aa followa:—• ■■.■■' .;■■■:■.'■ : The Prime Minister, the Bight Hon. G. W. Forbes, chairman. . . _ , '. The:Hon, E. A. Bansoni, Minister ot 'ie-Ser of the Opposition, the Bight :: Hon. J. G. Coates. , M The Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland. ■»«• ttr 1? -RnrTiard M.P., Napier. . . Bay; Mr. A. E.. Jull, M.P., wai ■;■ fected by the earthquake . _ f^SVffirSlVitaryS.cre- .:' to His Excellency the Gover, ■■'■■ nor-General. ■ ; " In^Shief, Public Works; De- , partment., Under-Seeretary for Lands. ; "Valuer-General. •■■ ■ " ;.) Five members of the committee,' -will constitute a quorum, and the-Public Trustee will-be tho executive officer of the committee. Following the experience of the administration, of the previous earthquake fund, a small executive sub-committee resident in Wellington will bo set up to act with the Public, Txustee. . " In rogard to the administration of the fund it is intended that the Central Committee shall work in co-operation ■with local committees in the afflicted areas. This procedure was adopted an connection with the West Coast earthquake in 1929;' : ■...- -~ •' In order that the relief work may be properly co-ordinated and the .best possible us© made of the fund subscribed, it is requested that subscriptions from :aU sources be paid into any branch ot the Bank of New-Zealand for the credit of the Public 'Account, and the bank receipt' forwarded to the Secretary to the Treasury, Wellington, under cover of a letter setting out details of; the Contribution. If amounts cannot conveniently be paid i&to the Bank of New Zealand, they may be remitted directto the Treasury or paid into 'the Post Office. ' }': ;. ' ';■ ' , . , In order that the fund may earn the maximum amount of interest from its inception.which the Public Trustee has agreed to allow, viz., 5J per cent, on the daily balance, it is requested that inonpys subscribed be paid to, Public Acconnt or remitted to the Treasury as fast as received. A list of all such receipts will'be issued to the Press for . publication from time *to time. DISTBJBTTTION OP MONEY. ' : "In regard to the distribution and use of the funds," said' the Prime Minister,; "the intention is that the Central Committee .should, as in the ,case of the previous earthquake, work in co-operation with local committees to be set.iip in the afflicted areas. The of,' local .'committees -it " is proposedto leave to the people concerned, except that to facilitate the work it is desired that the local representative of the Public Trust Office, Public Works, Lands, and Valuation Departments be made ex-omcio members of all the committees. _ ; "The Public Trust officers will undertake all secretarial and accounting ■work. The fund will be administered "by the Public Trustee as executive officer of the Central. Committee.' All accounts in connection with the fund '•will be audited by the Controller and Auditor-General, and no organisation or administrative costs -will be charged to the .relief fund. That is to say, all -theI'money subscribed by the people ■will be directly applied in relief of sufferers from'the earthquake. '■'-■■'': ',' In order that there may be as little delay as possible in applying the'moneys ; for the purposes for which they are : subscribed, it is tJ proposed to convene a meeting of the Central Committee iin-' mediately to determine the details in xospect to the administration Of ; the fund, and to delegate the necessary powers to th« executive sub-committee and the local committees." RELIEF OF TTOGENT OASES. -'■■'■ The Prime Minister added that for , the immediate relief of urgent cases ofdistress some grants were being made -from the Consolidated Fund, and these 1 moneys would be! administered by the local conjrnittees of those centres on the principles outlined above. "■ . WEST COAST TUND. After allowing for the settlement of all reasonable claims on the West ; Coast Earthquake Belief Fund, it was anticipated that a balance of about • £10,000 would. remain. "This balance," said Mr. Forbes, "could reasonably be transferred to the Hawkos Bay : Belief Fund, and a meeting of the Central Committee of the West Coast Fund will be called immediately to' consider the matter." ; • The Prime Minister said he felt sure that the response to the '>' appeal for funds would be a generous one, and it was hoped.that the organisation outlined would enable the unfortunate sufferers to receive the benefit from those funds with the least possible der lay, although it had to be recognised that-the collecting and collating (of the details of the losses suffered would' be a work of Borne magnitude. The immediate needs of the suflVrcTs in the meantime would receive prompt attentjoxu .' . ■ .