INDIAN FAMINE RELIEF FUND.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1058, 17 November 1877, Page 3

INDIAN FAMINE RELIEF FUND.

A meeting of the committee was held at the City Council Chamber yesterday afternoon. Present —His Worship the Mayor (in the chair), Sir 0. Wilson, Messrs J. Ollivier, Haskins, Gould, Matson, Pratt, Thomson, Nathan, Mitchell, and Hyam Davis. The Treasurer (Mr Ollivier) presented the balance sheet, audited to 10th November, as follows : —Dr.: Total amount of subscriptions received and promised to date, £4919 2s 4d. Cr.: By amount received from Sir C. Wilson in rupees, say £100; amount paid I into Bank of New Zealand to date, £4784 6s lOd ; amount uncollected, £34 15s 6d ; ! total, £-1919 2s 4d. Since the auditing of the accounts, however, other sums had been promised, and had come in, which brought the total amount subscribed in Canterbury up to £SOIB 8s Bd—[cheers] —or an average of Is 6d per head on the whole of their population, men, women and children. Mr Ollivier said he would now submit a draft of a letter to the Lord Mayor of London, which was as follows : My Lord,—l have tbe honor to acknowledge the receipt of a communication from bis Worship the Mayor of Wellington, Now Zealand, requesting, at your J ordship’s instigation, the cooneration of the residents of the provincial distinct of Canterbury, Now Zealand, in the movement, which is happily so universally recognised, in aid of the unfortunate sufferers from famine in the Madras Presidency. I am happy to be enabled to inform you that the appeal which I have made iu this district has been most cordially responded to. Our population numbers about 72,000 souls, and we have been enabled to remit direct to Madras the sum of =£———*», Tho committee, with the assistance of the manager of tho Christchurch Bank of New Zealand, [decided to remit this sum direct by telegram to tbe Oriental Bank at Madras, to be placsd at

°nco at the disposal of the Belief Fund, because this method of transmission to India would be more speedy than by a remittance to your Lordship’s fund in London, and as it was felt the required relief was urgent. It is extremely gratifying to me to be able to report so satisfactory a result. It is an additional evidence that while severed by distance we are still mindful of all legitimate claims which the country we love to call “ home ” may at any and all times bring under our notice. I am informed that at least a similar sum may probably be the result of the contributions from the remaining portions of the colony of New Zealand. The desire to aid in this noble work has been unanimous in this district, and demands from me the most grateful acknowledgments, in feeling which I am sure your Lordship will most heartily reciprocate. I have, &c James Gapes. Mayor of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

The Eight Hon. the Lord Mayor of London. The letter to the Mayor of Wellington contained the information as to the amount realised in Canterbury to the credit of the Fund.

It was resolved to accept both drafts as presented by Mr Ollivier, and the secretary was instructed to forward the letters at once. Mr Ollivier said he had received a letter from the Bank of New Zealand that day, informing him that the remittances of the committee had been forwarded by cable from Melbourne to Madras, which had been granted by the Government of Victoria. [Cheers.] Sir Cracroft Wilson said that he would desire to propose that the most cordial thanks of the committee be tendered to Mr Ollivier for the manner in which he had discharged the arduous duty imposed upom him. [Cheers.] Mr Nathan seconded the motion,which was agreed to unanimously. Mr Ollivier briefly acknowledged the compliment, and said he desired to note that he had received a cheque for some £4O odd contributions of the children of the Normal, and other schools, including the Burnham Industrial School. [Applause.] It was perfectly marvellous to him to see the profuse liberality which had been displayed in this matter.

Mr John Ollivier moved a cordial vote of thanks to Mr Haskins, who had worked most zealouslyas secretary to the Fund. That gentleman had contributed in no small degree to the success attendant upon the work of the committee by the assiduity with which he had discharged the duties of secretary. He had much pleasure in moving that the thanks of the committee be given to Mr Haskins for his services as secretary. [Cheers.] Mr Mitchell had very much pleasure in | seconding the motion. The resolution was then put and unanimously agreed to. Messrs Q-ould and Ollivier were instructed to make another remittance to Madras. The committee decided to advertise the subscription-list containing all sums over £l. jj It was also resolved to state that the trea- j surer’s original lists would be open for in- | spection at tho town clerk’s office. _ ! His Worship said he desired to take this ) opportunity ot thanking the contributors to \ the fund for the liberality they had displayed j in response to his appeal, and also to the committee for the zealous manner in which they had worked. _ j The committee then adjourned till the 29th nstant.