KAITANGATA RELIEF FUND.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1670, 27 June 1879, Page 3

KAITANGATA RELIEF FUND.

The following is the report of the central committee of the Kaitangata Belief Fund, presented to and adopted by a general meeting of subscribers held in Dunedin on Wednesday : The Kaitangata colliery accident, whereby thirty-four men lost their lives, took place on the 21st February of this year, and at a public meeting held on the 24th of same mo'ith, the following resolution was adopted : —‘' That subscriptions be invited from the public of New Zealand to a fund to be raised for the purpose of relieving the distressed widows and orphans, and that the following gentlemen be a committee for that purpose, with power to add to their number.” Then follow the names of a number of gentlemen. A meeting of committee was held the same evening, when his Worship the Mayor of Dunedin (H. J. Walter), was elected chairman of committee; R. Oliver, hon. treasurer; and J. L. Gillies and M. W. Hawkins, hon. secretaries, with power to employ any clerical assistance they might inquire. On the 25th February the committee again met, adopted a form of circular and subscription list, and authorised the same to be printed. The committee the same evening arranged for canvassing Dunedin by appointing a number of gentlemen to take charge of different wards of the city, and authorised the secretaries to obtain all the information regarding the cir-

cu instances and necessities of the bereaved families. On the 11th March the committee again mot, when the information obtained concerning the circumstances, &c., of the various families were submitted, and a record of the several cases entered in a register. The secretaries reported having posted 500 copies of the circular, in addition to those distributed by hand, and that 534 subscription lists had been issued and registered. This number, was subsequently increased to 625. Nearly the whole of these circulars have been returned or accounted for, those not returned still standing upon the register against the names of the parties to whom they were supplied. At this meeting the following resolution was carried—“ That it be referred to a sub-committee to prepare and submit for the consideration of the general committee a scheme for the administration of the fund, and that such committee be empowered to administer the fund 'temporarily.” The executive committee thus constituted met on the 13th March and fixed a scale of alimony ranging from 12s per week to 30s per week ; the allowance being determined to the beat of the committee’s judgment of the circumstances and requirements in each case. The relief dated from the Ist March, the Kaitangata Coal Company having provided all necessaries to that date ; the sum expended by the company under this head amounting to £236 9s, which they wish to be considered as their contribution to the fund. The exact number of widows and children was ascertained at that time to bo twenty-four widows and eighty-one children under fourteen years of ago. Since then throe children have been added to the number; no deaths have taken place, but the number of dependants on the fund has been reduced, one widow having one child here and one in Britain electing to bo sent Home under a stamped agreement and discharge from any further claim upon the fund, the committee paying her passage, £25, expending £3 on her outfit, placing £5 in the hands of the captain of the ship to bo given her on arrival at London, and remitting £SO to the care of the Mayor of Nottingham for her use and benefit, making a total of £BS. One marriage has already taken place, and” the two children belonging to this family being respectively nineteen years and sixteen years, the committee is of opinion that in this case further permanent claim on the fund has ceased. In addition to the weekly allowance from Ist March to 20th June, amounting to £l6B 18s, your committee have paid several special allowances for medical attendance, nurses’ fees, expense of removal to other districts, and debts owing by the deceased at the time of the accident, to the extent of £253 7s, all of which disbursements ought to be taken into account in making future allowances, as in some cases the widows have, out of their allowances or savings, paid off amounts of a similar character themselves. Your committee, in connection with the matter of disbursements, may summarise the rest of the expenditure as follows Secretaries’ expenses in distributing information, management and collecting information as to families, postages, telegrams, stamps, receipts and agreements, and expenses of general management, £1713s sd; advertising meeting and other notices, £33 19s 6d; advertising receipts of subscriptions, £25 16s; refund Rev. Inghs’ lecture, £7—making a total of £B4 8s lid, which, added to the sums previously stated expended oh the families, makes a total expenditure by your committee to date of £B9l 13s lid. Before leaving this branch of the subject'your committee desires to remark that it has endeavored to carry out the spirit of the resolution that the subscriptions were invited “ to a fund for the purpose of relieving the distressed widows and orphans.” They are happy to record that their procedure has been assailed by a few complaints. Your committee have to report that the response that has been given to the appeal made for assistance has been widespread and most liberal, as the attached detailed statement of subscriptions, classified into districts, will most forcibly show. It may be further remarked, as exhibiting the general interest taken in subscribing to this fund, and also the result of accumulated small sums, that a careful revision of the lists that have come into the committee’s possession sets forth the fact that a very large proportion of the total subscribed by the late Provincial District of Otago, amounting to over £9500, has been subscribed in sums from 20s down to the children’s pence. Beyond Otago the exceedingly handsome sum in round numbers of £5500 has been received, which, with the amount received from Police, Railway and Telegraph Departments, makes the grand total £15,329 Os Bd—a sum exceeding the most sanguine expectations. Your committee having made an arrangement thatall moneys be paid into the bank as received, and that on the credit balance at any time reaching £SOO it be placed in deposit receipt for three months, bearing interest, the sum of £SO has been up to this present time added to the credit of the account. The account therefore stands—Total receipts, £15,379 Os 8d ; total expenditure, £B9l 13s lid; balance, £14,487 6s 9d. To this sum may be added over £220 reported, but not yet received, and the amount disbursed by the Kaitangata Coal Company, £236 9s. Your committee, as already stated, early inquired into the condition and circumstances of the several families, and found that, as a rule, they had borne most excellent characters; a considerable amount of thrift and economy being evidenced from the fact of many of them residing on their own freeholds and it may be here remarked that a considerable proportion of the debts paid by the committee were outstanding in connection with the purchase or building of their houses. The committee have been paving the way towards getting the titles to these properties put on a satisfactory footing, but a good deal of work has yet to be done in this direction. The committee has every reason to believe that the sum subscribed, if properly invested, will afford a sufficient revenue in interest to meet all the necessities of the cases, at least after the first year, and would strongly advise adhering in the main to the principal it has hitherto acted upon—viz., to exercise a jealous care over the expenditure, and while meeting fairly the necessities of each case on its own merits, carefully guard against encouraging any undue depending on the fund, or any extravagance that would tend to induce idleness or hinder the development of a spirit of self-reliance and exertion on the part of the families. The committee have pleasure in testifying that, with few exceptions, a most excellent spirit has been exhibited by the widows, and feel convinced that by judicious and wise treatment, but little trouble may be apprehended in the future. The cemmittee would further suggest that the register of the children be carefully attended to, and that it bo made a special charge to the ’future committee that they be looked after and properly educated and cared for until they reach the ago of at least fourteen years. [The scheme of administration previously published, in pursuance of resolution of March 11th, submitted for approval, is given below.] As a very large sum has been contributed by districts that cannot be represented at this meeting, your committee deems it due to them that their resolutions or suggestions should be attached to this report. Fifteen meetings of committee have been hold, upwards of 350 private letters have been received, and over 200 replies posted, besides a considerable number of telegrams. In conclusion, your committee desires to record its deep feeling of thankfulness that such a noble response has been given by all classes of the community to the appeal made in connection with the sad calamity, evidencing a feeling of brotherhood and Christian sympathy of the most gratifying character, and one which cannot do otherwise than bear good fruit in the heart of every colonist, and also be a comfort and solace to the friends and relatives of the bereaved ones wherever they may bo. H. J. Waltee, Mayor, Chairman. R. Olivee, hon. treasurer. M. wSm,) h - ’ ,crot ” ie ’-

The following is the detailed statement of subscriptions, classified into districts attached to the report:—Otago: Riverton, £24219s Gd ; Clifton, £l4; Invercargill, £703 19s 2d; Mataura, £BS 15s Gd; Otama, £2B lls 6d ; Tapanui, £156 17s 6d ; Waiwora, £47 10s ; Clydevale, £25 16s; Warepa, £66 17s Gd ; South Molyneux, £lll 17s Gd ; Balclutha, £232 5s Gd; Stirling, £124 12 s; Kaitangata, ’£22o 17s Gd; Tokomairiro, £393 ; Waihola,£39l4s 2d; Otakia,£l6 2s 9d; Taieri, £3Bl 16s; Q-reen Island, £203 8s 7d ; Caversham, £ll4 14s Gd ; Forbury, £2B 3s lOd ; Peninsula, |£s2 17s lid ; Mornington, £63 8s; Dunedin, £3680 17s; Half-way Bush, £3O 14a; Roslyn, £l3O 19s Gd; North-East Valley, £ls Is 9d ; West Harbor, £ll 14s lOd; Port Chalmers, £157 2s 6d; Blueskin, £23 8b Gd; Sandymount, £l6 8s Gd ; Parakanui, f£3 lls; Waikouaiti, £95 10s 7d; Palmerston, £22 17s ; Shag Point, £95 Is Gd ; Moeraki, £9 3s Gd ; Otepopo, £59 8s 4d j Kakanui, £2O 9b lid; Wsitakij £7 6b:

Oamaru, £613 14s 3d ; Waitahuna, £4B; Lawrence, £307 9a; Toviot, £3l 9s 3d; Alexandra, £sj Vincent County, £l2O 17s 6.1; Bendigo, £27 14s; Cardrona, £3 6s; Macetown, £ll ss; Lower Shotover, £22 18j 61 ; Arrow, £ls 12s; Queenstown, £l7 17s 6d; Bt. Bathans, £63 9s ; Blackstone Hill, £l2 6s; Hamiltons, £l9 Is; Eyeburn, £2l Is Od ; Macraes, £5 ; StrathTaieri, £4B 2s 6cl, Naseby, £2O 14s: —total, £0240 10s 4d. Public Departments: Police, £150; Railway, Dunedin section, £248 16* 2d ; do, Christchurch section, £B9 lls 7d ; Telegraph, £lO5 ; —total, £593 7s 9d. Other districts : No Town, £l4 14s 61 ; New Plymouth, £B2 3s 6d ; Nelson, £46 2s 6d ; Christchurch, £lsOl 13§ 7d ; Lyttelton, £OB 13s 9d; Sydenham, £2l 16s; Ashburton, £37 13s; Washdyko, £5 ; Tinmru, £324 4s 9d ; Waimate, £lO7 8s 3d ; Rangiora, £37 9s ; Hokitika, £SB; Wellington, £ll7O 0s sd; Blenheim, £49 7s ; Hawke’s Bay, £25 4s; Wanganui, £157 13s 6d ; Kumara, £42 0s ; Napier, £365 18s 101 ; Westport, £2B 6s; Opotiki, £3O 8s 01 ; Auckland, £llOl ss; Gisborne, £3 10s; Charleston. £6 12s; Grahamstown, £45; Melbourne, £s;—total, £5485 13s Id. To the above are to be added small nuggets of gold from two little girls, valued at 8s 61; suspense account, Is; interest brought to credit till date, £SO.