Huntly Mines Disaster Relief Fund

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 3, 20 November 1914, Page 3

Huntly Mines Disaster Relief Fund

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. meeting of the Disaster Relief Fund committee was held in the King's Hall on Tuesday night when there were present Messrs J. P. Bailey (chairman), the Revs. Father Edge, Kayll and and Richards, Messrs J. Elliot. E. J. Farrell, D, Fletcher, R. Greenwell, L. B. Harris, junr„ G. T. Horwood, J. O’Brien, H. R. Porter, W. Warren, J. Wesley, and the Secretary (MrF. Harris). After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and adopted, it was decided that the voluminous correspondence, comprising nearly 1,000 letters, be taken as read. The secretary reported that Mayors of cities and boroughs, chairmen of local bodies and labour unions generally had been circularised with regard to the Relief Fund, and so far, the response had not reached the amount anticipated, the efforts, being made on behalf of the various Patriotic Funds and the Belgian Fund overshadowing the Huntly Fund. Several persons had offered employment on farms at a small wage with a comfortable home to any of the children affected by the disaster; but, so far, no advantage had been taken of such offers. As a result of the action of tha committee, aided by Mr. R. F. Bollard, M.P., an amendment had been made to the Pensions and Compensation Acts whereby £6. per annum would be paid to every child affected, and would not be limited to four only. Mr. Harris also pointed out that under the Act the widow of any man killed in the disaster, though living outside the Dominion, would be deemed to be domiciled in the Dominion, and thus be entitled to the Compensation provided bytheAct. This would affect two widows whose cases were now in the hands of the Public Trustee. The total amount received to date in answer to the appeals made, was £4,863 19s 3d., from which the foliowing!disbursomen‘s had been made: —■ Paid tn wirlnws arid

£4571 10 7 The chairman pointed out that if the committee intended to carry out the proposals adopted with regard to giving fifteen shillings per week to the widow and five shillings per week ts each child, it was obvious thao more money would be requiredt and to raise the necessary amount it might be advisable to close the fund or, a certain date. The fund was assuming dimentions that entailed a great amount of clerical and other work, an:., it might be as well for the meeting to discuss the advisability of asking that the Public Trustee undertake the administration. He acknowledged in fitting terms the immense amount of labour devoted to the Fund by Mr. F. Harris and his clerks and concluded by stating that such honorary and onerous duties could not be expected to continue much longer. Mr. Bailey invited a free expression of opinion. Mr. L. B. Harris was opposed to the clo-ing of the Fund until the necessary amount of money had been collected. The Patriotic and Belgian Funds at present absoibed public attention, but, lie wassure, when the objects of such funds had been subserved, the people of New Zealand would freely respond to further appeals from Huntly. He was strongly in favour of continuing the payments already decided upon in the full knowledge and hope that all the money required would be available. The Rev. Mr Richards homologated the opinions of the previous speaker, and stated that some people were of opinion that the committee had not taken the opportunity to organise entertainments in aid of the Fund. Mr Wesley thought another appeal ought to be made to the various union in the Dominion, but was not in favour of ad* ministration by the Public Trustee until the necessary deed of trust had been executed, He instanced the Brunner and Kaitangata Funds as examples that ought to be avoided, as the surpluses unspent appeared to be locked up, instead of being used for the benefit of victims of similar disasters. Mr Greenwell was in favour of administration by the Public Trustee provided that the administration by him was in consonance with the wishes of the committee. He spoke strongly in favour of a clause being incorporated in the deed of trust whereby the surplus, if any, remaining when the object of the fund had been fulfilled should be, without special legislation in the required direction, devoted to relieve the - wants of the victims o" similar future disasters. The Revs. Father Edge and Kayll were in favour of postponing decision on the matter until a future meeting. M Elliot thought that the cor* mil fee elected iiv Auckland an \, , li.ugton for the same purpifl as the local .committee, should n approached and asked to add the’ amounts collected by them to the

principal fund. By so doing overlapping would be minimised, and the local committee would know the exact position f affairs. Since the inception of the fund the personnnel of the local committee had been chaged by the. inclusion of the new executive of the Taupiri Miners’ Union, and he thought that an appeal made by that executive to the committees in question would not be made in vain especially as all were , actuated by the desire to do whatthat was possible for those widowed and orphaned by the disaster. He thought that the organisation of entertainments did not wholly lie within the province of the committee. Individuals and institutions should do their part by getting up entertainments in aid of the fund as they had done and were doing in conliecticn with the Belgian and other funds. He was of opinion that the relief of local distress was the first duty of the residents of Huntly, and, that accomplished, all energy could be devoted to the other, and very worthy objects now attracting public support and sympathy. The secretary had worked magnificently in behalf of the Relief Fund, and he deprecated any criticism that had the least appearance of ‘detracting from their indebtedness to him. It was decided to postpone decision on the questions until the next meeting, tire secretary was requested to ask the Government to add to the £2OO already voted on account. The meeting was also unanimously of opinion that the weekly payments made on hehalf of children who had lost both father and mother should be increased to 7 6 per week for each child.

Paid to widows and orphans £277 15 0 Cables 4 16 0 Stamps 4 13 11 ‘©grams 0 12 3 •liange on cheque s 4 6 9 orders 0 4 9 ? — Total ... £292 8 8 The balances thus left are Bank... 4485 17 0 Suspense account 26 1 6 Cash in hand 59 12 1