WORK OF RESTORATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 23 July 1929, Page 8

WORK OF RESTORATION

SUPERVISION FEES (To the Editor) g iri „A!, otic who has been appointed by the subscribers of this district to watch over and help administer the funds which have been subscribed for earthquake relief, 1 feel 1 will not bo carrying out my duty if I allow the motion standing under the. names of Councillor (iibhs and Hie Hon.'W. W. Snodgrass in Thursday's "Mail'] 'appointing a supervisor at the fee of £3 ,5s :i day including Sundays when working. When we think what the money was given for and by quite a lot who Clin' ill afford to give, the salary offered is out of all reason for the work he will bo doing when we remember the. cause. There are quite a lot of us who are cheerfully giving our time and iuvesti-. gating the applications for relief as they come forward and try to most" needy cases. We all know that everybody who applies cannot get help. Each ease will have to be decided on its merits. , ; Some of us over here have lb travel up to 16 miles by bicycle to investigate cases and 13 miles to attend meetings, rain or shine and think it an honour to do so without any .thought of pay for our time and labour. Here. Mr Editor, are a few eases of those that cheerfully gave their donations to the fund which I consider I will have to watch and see that they are spent in the right way, or know 1 have been a failure at the post: Two single ladies, a few days after they gave their ..donation, had the misfortune to see the river rise up over their orchard and gather up their crop of' apples, wash them up to their front door to say good bye, and then take them, cases and all, down the river, besides a good portion of their farm. Another man below has had to stand and sec his farm reduced by the river, so that he has decided to shift his house to a. safer placo before that also is gatlicred up and washed away. Another thing, quite a lot of people (ire willing lo give but are holding back (o see how the funds already collected are spent, and it is fees like the one above that will squash them from contributing. The only men in my mind that are worth £3 3s a day are those like Mr Mann, the chef at Murchisou, who rose to the occasion in the kitchen at. Murcbison. Now Mr Editor, I think you should be chairman over the whole Nelson district relief eoniniillees. I lake it, after tho local cases are all dealt with the rest of the funds will go to the stricken areas on the coast, and you through your valuable paper will be in touch with most. So I would like lo move a motion to rescind the one standing under the names of Councillor Gibbs and the Hon. W. ""W. Snodgrass in Thursday's paper, appointing a supervisor at £3 3s,' and their move a fresh motion (hat the supervisor be appointed at one and a half guineas, a fee. more near what it should be. Will anybody in the subscription lists seemid my proposal? 1 am, etc., 0. C. BEST. Tangalolara, 20th July. , cTo tho Editor) Sir,—Re the appointment of a supervisor and to the extent of his freedom in connection with employing the men to do this work: Having bad in tho past the position of organising, directing and supervising, work of a constructional nature with as many as 60 men, and at a less salary than one-third of what is to be given'to the supervisor in connection with our earthquake relief, I feel as a resident with many others that some light should be given for this large salary, plus expenses. An article appeared in the papers re bricklayers and the earthquake. This article _ was replied to by the secretary of' the Bricklayers' 'Union, Wellington, who said that he had seat all that had been asked for and that 15 or 16 were in waiting and prepared to go regardless of remuneration which goes to show the spirit of the tradesmen. Then we 'have a further statement in your paper made bv the Mayor of Auckland at Mr G. C. Black's meeting, that no money given, to earthquake relief funds will be used for expenses of administration, and that cverv shilling collected will be administered for. the benefit of the sufferers. These restrictions have been definitely laid down by the Central Committee. Still further, 'wo have a statement to the ""MaiT" representative, that the committee bcivg desirous ot getting the work done as expeditiously as possible had appointed an organiser of sufficient ability to cany out the duties of organiser, director and supervisor, giving him a free hand. The statement goes on. to say the committee considered it the most economical to appoint a first class man. So do a great many others, but it would be better still "to get two of just as good abilities for the same amount of money. We believe that this is quite possible.' Now the "Mail" of Saturday informs us that if sufficient men are available, this work of partial restoration will be. completed in about three weeks. Does our Mayor believe this, or is it just a little bit of bluff to keep those or us and all that have given s>; liberally to relief funds for the purpose, of restoration of these poor people's homes, from growling until all Ihe cream has been taken and then is too late. In conclusion, may we put it this way: Tradesmen, we are informed, are prepared lo pay their expenses to conic and push on this work. Auckland says that the whole of the work done in connection with administration is to be voluntary, but Nelson says "We will pay £3 3s per day plus expenses for a supervisor. Wo also want at least three men as valuers, and so on. I say keep down the supervision fees as much as possible, and give those that these funds have been raised for their full and just benefits. 1 am, etc., RESIDENT. Nelson. 20th July. Concluding a letter on the same subject J. W. Win writes: "On behalf i>f the, many who helped to provide the, money and also on behalf of those, whit need the help I protest against this extravagant expenditure."