SHIPWRECK RELIEF SOCIETY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9790, 13 October 1917, Page 4

SHIPWRECK RELIEF SOCIETY

AN INTERESTING- REPORT. The quarterly meeting of the tive of the Shipwreck Relief Society bf New Zealand was held in Dunedin on Wednesday afternoon. (There wore present—Messrs C. W. Chamberlain (in the chair), G. L. Denniston J. A. Park, George Fenwick, T. M. Cullen, D. E. Theomin, and Captains BoaUjnont and C. McDonald. Mr W. Belcher wrote tendering his resignation as a member of the council.—The resignation was received with regret, .and it was decided that the secretary send a letter to Sir Belcher aa an appreciation of his past services to the society. . , , , Mr B. O. Hazlett was appointed to fill the vacancy on the committee. The committee decided to donate £6 5s to the funds of tho British and Foreign Sailors’ Society. The sum of 7s 8d was received from Captain McDonald on behalf of Messrs Mark Sprot and Co. (Grey-mouth) as the result of donations made to tho firm’s collection box.—Received with thanks.

The quarterly financial statement showed receipts amounting to £147 19a, general expenses £3D & 6d, while the’ sum of £319 13s fid was shown as being expended in relief of shipwrecked crews, making the total expenses for the quarter £359. ’ The suh-committee reported having afforded relief in the following cases: —ln the case of a fire on s.s. To Anau, £37 13s fid towards relief of the crew; the sum of £lO each in respect to tho widows and children loft destitute by the drowning of two fishermen named McMinn and Wilson off • Manakau Hoads; £4 each to the master and two of tho crew of the .scow MoehaUy •who lost thoir clothes as tho result of their vessel capsizing in Thames Harbour. ........

On September 16th a wire was received from tho Collector' of Customs, Nelson, stating that - a . shipwrecked crow was arriving, and asking if ho could draw on tho society for relief. The secretary, alter consulting tho sub-committee, wired tc draw on the society for £3 per man and report if further relief was necessary. Later a wire was received frm the Mayor of Nelson stating that fifty-nine of the crew of tho Port Kembla had arrived destitute, and that £2 per man was not sufficient. Tho secretary consulted the suh-committee, and wired the Mayor of Nelson to draw on the society for a further' £2 per man. A further wire was received stating that they had expended £325 on the crew, and asking if the society could meet this amount. If not, they would collect the balance locally. A wire was sent that the society would vote up to £250, this being the limit the emergency committee could expend. Laj;er tho secretary telegraphed that if the amount could not be collected locally the society would make up the balance. On October 4th word was received from Wanganui that the scow ■Eunice had stranded on the Wanganui bar, and tho crew had lost their clothes. It was resolved to write to Captain Fleming and Mr 6. B. Bullock (Wellington) asking them to afford relief up to £5 per man. The men had been asked to communicate with Captain Fleming .or-Mr Bullock. —The report was adopted.