Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1901. BRUNNER RELIEF FUND.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 14 December 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1901. BRUNNER RELIEF FUND.

In our Thursday’s issue, Mr Russell, Mayor of Brunner, very properly brought forward a complaint against the Public Trustee or Advisory Board in their dealing with the funds entrusted to them for administration to those for whom the money was collected. He very properly asks whether the Trustee is warranted in treating the beneficaries in like manner to that in which a Benevolent Society treats recipients of charity. The letter that has called forth for such comment is the following, which it is understood has been sent to those entitled to draw upon the fund :

“ Before the Public Trustee will decide to continue the allowance to you, he desires to be supplied with further information re your circumstances and etc., and to this end I shall be pleased if you will answer the questions at foot hereof, and if there is anything further you can add to strengthen your case, please do so. On receipt of this I will forward same to the Public Trustee for his information. Yours Faithfully, T. Kendall. 1 Tour age. ‘2 Condition of health. 3 Occupation and average income, 4 Number of children. 6 Do any of them assist you, and if not state reasons.

7 Do you receive Old Age Pension.”

To our mind the document is an exceedingly improper one, containing questions that have no right to be asked, and which should not be answered. Those who are responsible for its issue have clearly mistaken the character of the fund, and the intent of the subscribers in bringing it into existence, and it is just as well that they should be reminded of the same. The money was raised by a generous public of New Zealand for the benefit of the relatives—principally widows and children—of those who lost their lives in the Brunner mine explosion. By an Act of Parliament it was vested in the Public Trustee, guided by a local Advisory Board. ’ Now the funds although so vested, belonged and still belongs to the relatives of the victims —to them and them alone it belongs. It was invested in various ways for their benefit, and they have by gift of the people of New Zealand further ratified by an Act of the House of Representatives just as much right to it as the man who purchases an annuity. In the latter case his financial position is not required into, it is sufficient that the time has come round and he is entitled to the grant, and he receives it. So in regard to the widows and children. By right of gift, given in time of dire distress; they are entitled to regular payments. The latter by conditions agreed to at the time until they attain a certain age, and the former for the rest of their lives. Being so entitled to it the questions agked, are.

quite unnecessary, are humiliating, indeed are impertinent, and those having a right to participate in the funds will be doing quite right in resenting the tone of the circular, and refusing to send in the information applied for. Looking through the questions, one to five, any one would think they related to admission to a poor house in the old country or something of that kind, rather that to a fund the holders in which have a right to draw a share.