URGENT NEEDS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 13 July 1929, Page 5

URGENT NEEDS

FARMERS IN EARTHQUAKE AREA

STOCK TRACK TO Bfi MADE INVITATION TO CABINET MINISTERS Yesterday afternoon' tlie Mayor (Mr \Y. ,1. MolTiil.l) attended (lie meeting of I lie executive of (lie Nelson brunch of Hie New Zealand Farmers' Union lickl in tin* YVaimea- County. Chamber in connection with earthquake damage in tlio farming areas around Murchison. As stated in “The Mail” yesterday a number of farmers from the stricken area were present by special invitation. The Mayor (Mr W. J. Moffatt) was in attendance when the meeting resumed. lie gave an outline of what had al- , ready been done by the Relief Committee. He briefly dealt with the de r mands made on him by the. relief work and said that meanwhile the city’s business "'as pigeon-holed as far as he was concerned. He had left tilings in the hands of tlio City Engineer and was trusting to the staff. The Mayor went on io deal with the committee’s endeavours to get relief work started. The country’s attitude towards the problem was indicated by the subscription lists. They had to act like a large family as in war time. He had asked his committee to invito the Minister of Public Works and the Minister of Lands to come to Nelson and visit the Murchison district. The committee, however, had not seen it in the same light, but the Mayor suggested that the Farmers’ Union instead of sending a- deputation to Wellington should send an urgent telegraphed invitation to the two Ministers to leave for Nelson last night. They could spend Saturday afternoon and Sunday in Mur-

chison and get back to Wellington on Monday night in time for Parliament. It was hoped some sort of organisation would he set up in Murchison at onco to give the Nelson Relief Committee an idea- of what should be done first and a scheme of work. He did not think a similar position had ever risen in New Zealand where a City Council had piaetically become a Provincial Council. Mr Max asked the Mayor if the expenses of the deputation to Wellington would he borne by the Relief Committee. The Mayor said that lie could not guarantee any further expenses at. the present stage. It was pointed out by the president that the deputation was not one from the Farmers’ 'Union, but was the Maruia deputation for which the Mayor had previously stated he felt sure expenses •would be provided out of relief funds. It had beta suggested that the president (Mr F. C. Page) accompany that deputation. The Mayor then said he would stand bv his previous -Statement. In accordance with a resolution the following telegram was accordingly at onco despatched to the Minister of Education: “That this meeting of the Nelson Provincial Farmers’ Union executive (twelve present), after hearing today representative settlers from the devastated area, strongly urge that you request the Prime Minister to send the Minister of Public Works and the Minister of Lands to visit Murchison district" this week-end, as we consider the result of their personal investigation will accelerate restoration work requiring to he undertaken because of general distress throughout- that area. Condition of stock serious.” The Mayor said he would send a telegram in support. As stated in “The Mail” yesterday a deputation waited on the local Public Works Department asking for every assistance possible in the construction of a- stock.,track into Maruia. During the afternoon a’message was received at the i meeting from the Public Works Department stating that the expenditure of the £l5O asked for to' carry out- the work had been authorised and a start could be made at once. General appreciation was expressed at, tlie despatch with which the request had been dealt with by the Department.