SYDNEY FUND

Hokitika Guardian, 7 February 1931, Page 2

SYDNEY FUND

HUGH WARD’S AID

(Australian Press Association.)

CANBERRA, February 5. Tho Speaker in the House of Representatives, Mr Makin, sent the following message to the Prime Minister of New Zealand“On behalf of the members of the Federal Parliament ! desire to convey sincere sympathy to you and the people of New Zealand in the loss of life and suffering caused by the calamintons earthquake.” SYDNEY, February 'I.

The Lord Mayor of Sydney announces receiving donations to a fund to assist the New Zealand earthquake victims, and a meeting is being held oil Thursday next to inaugurate a citizens fund. The Lord Mayor, Alderman Jackson, says Sydney has serious problems of its own, but the people s hearts are big enough to respond to the appeal made by the knowledge that others have suddenly found themselves so much worse off.

]n the meantime tile New Zealand Association, on heliall of thirty thousand New Zealanders resident in New South Wales, the largest such commodity outside the Dominion, are moving energetically to assist the campaign to swell the Mflyoral iMind, llie popular mind is shocked as never before since the war by the daily reports from New Zealand of the growing seriousness of the cataclysm, and sympathy for 'the stricken people is expressed in many offers of aid.

Mr Hugh Ward, well known to New Zealanders in former years in connection with theatrical enterprises and efforts for raising funds for New Zealand hospitals, leaves for Wellington to-morrow to oiler his voluntary services in organising relief fund efforts. Ho says lie has such an affectionate regard for the people of the Dominion that he feels ho cannot do less than employ his leisure thus in their service.

Tim New Zealand Government Tourist Office reports there have been no cancellations of proposed visits to the Dominion by Australians. Official assruranees have been received that none of the tourist resorts are affected by the earthquakes. Jtev. Oliver Dean, of New Zealand, returned by the liner Mongolia from a world four to-day to learn that his home town, Napier, was almost compH tel y destroyed. Accompanied by his wife lie leaves aboard the Marnnia tomorrow. with little hope of finding fluhome lie left at Napier intact. The couple are greatly perturbed at the entire absence of news regarding the fate of their fsmilv, who lived at Middle Hill, behind the town.