EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1929, Page 8

EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND

650 CLAIMS SENT TO WELLINGTON.

WES'!TORT, October 11

. The administration of relief is running smoothly, in Westport and tin claims are being handled in a busi-ness-like manner. To date 650 claims have been forwarded to Wellington and another 100 vrtdl be dispatcher, within the next day or two. A rough estimate for the total of these cflaims is £50,000. This does not in elude all the money spent shortly after the earthquake on urgent relief, but it does include the cost of a great deal of the work canned out dining the past two months. The committee, up .to the present, har e been engaged chiefly on claims of under £ls, principally the erection oi chimneys, repairs to roofs and broken lavatories.

Up till the last meeting of the committee, the actual amount spent was .£6951 17s 7d distributed as as follows. (General £214 Is '2d, Westport £2202 0s Bcl, AVaimangaroa £122 19s 9d Denniston £279 14s 4d, Birchfield £lB4 14s Bd, Giran’ity £415 7s 4d, Millenton £645 18s 10d, Ngakawaa £304 Is Bd, Seddonville £2286 8s 2d, Karamea £264 3s sd, Reefton £3l 17s 6d. The flood in Seddonville caused the heavy expenditure in that locality. Earthquake relief in the Karamea, Corbyvale and Little Wanganui districts is being handled by the Karamea cojnmittee.

When applications were first leccived for relief, many people did not claim in order that those who were in very bad circumstances and had suffered considerable loss should get the bulk of the money. However, it : is now anticipated that, when the present claims have 'been dealt with, there will be a surplus in the fund. The. position was discussed at the last meeting of the Buller district Relief Committee and it was decided to suggest to the Central Committee that, when the present claims fiad been dealt with, those who had refraiped from, claiming should be given an opportunity of putting their claims 'in, provided there was sufficient mbney in the fund. It .is geneally anticipated in Westport that this suggestion will receive favourable consideration by the Central Committee.