QUAKE RELIEF FUND

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1929, Page 5

QUAKE RELIEF FUND

INSURANCE SCHEME PROPOSED. (B.v Telegraph—Press Association). WELLINGTON. August 2. A meeting of the Wellington Committee for Earthquake Relief was held to-day. The Mayor (Mr G. H. Troup) who presided, said up to the present £19,740 5s Id had been paid into the Mayors Fund direct. In addition (o that, there was £2333 13s 2d from the Post and £1455 11s from the Dominion (which had also gone through the Mayor’s Fund), making a total of £22,529 9s 3d. Again, in addition to that sum, a further £2OO had been paid direct to the Central Fund by, Wellington houses and individuals so that Wellington should be credited with £24,529. As there were still a number of small lists out, amongst them Hutt and Petone, he took it that £25,000 would be raised, which he thought was a very fine contribution. Expenses against this •itnounted to £26 15s Gd. The amount of £22,529 had been paid into the Treasury, and the Treasurer had expressed' his appreciation at Wellington’s prompt action, which had seemed to establish a feeling of confidence throughout New Zealand. Comparisons were sometimes helpful, sometimes odious, but the Mayor thought it would be interesting for members of the Committee to know whether Wellington had held its own in the recent emergency. In Auckland the Mayor’s Fund had amounted to £12.268 16s sd, the Herald list to £9557 15s lid, and the Star’s to £2624 11s 3d, winch roughly meant £25,000, the same as Wellington. In Christchurch, the Mayor’s Fund had reached £9963 2s Bd, and that of the Press £4477 15s sd. So that about £15.000 could he expected there. Tn Dunedin the Mayor’s list was at the latest £2084, hut the Otago Daily Times had .96221 on its list, and. the Star £484. so that £IO.OOO would he about Dunedin’s quota. This made a grand total of £75,000 from the four centres. He thought that, in addition, they could reckon on £45.000 from the other cities and smaller towns, which would give a total 0f'£125,000. Mr Wallace also proposed that there should be established something in the nature of a national emergency fund so that anything over from this fund, or any other fund of a like nature, could ho paid into the National Fund and invested by the Publjc Trustee. He thought the Central Committee might consider the proposal, and lie moved in that direction. Mr W. G- Wilson seconded the motion. ( Mr John Mvers said lie had in mind something ih the nature of the creation of a national insurance fund against earthquake disaster. The accumulation of a fund (lie mentioned £5,000.000), which would be available to reinstate any district suffering from earthquakes. ’■ The Chairman said that such a\ scheme could only .bo brought about by compulsory contribution. Mr Wallace said that was not his ideal at all. He only meant that the surplus funds left over, when all claims had been settled, might- be put into one fund that would be kept as a standby for the next calamity—be it fire, flood,'or earthquake. The motion was carried.