THE EARTHQUAKE AREA

Otago Witness, Issue 4031, 16 June 1931, Page 20

THE EARTHQUAKE AREA

REHABILITATION WORK MODE OF PROCEDURE OUTLINED. NAPIER, June 10. An explanation, of the Rehabilitation Committees proposals in regard to. the distribution of the £1,250,000 available was given by Mr J. S. Barton, S.M.„ before a large meeting of Napier retailers last evening. Mr Barton emphasised the fact that the adjustment, as will be effected by the Adjustment Court, was the logical approach to rehabilitation. Explaining that the committee’s leanings were towards loans rather than grants, he sai-t that the loans would be spread over such long periods and at such a low rate of interest as to hamper no sound and wellconducted business. Moreover, the interest from such loans would provide funds for annuities to widows and others •who had lost their bread-winners, and also for permanently disabled men. Personal losses of this kind would be treated first. It had been decided to grant assistance for buildings and homes totallydestroyed, this being next in importance to personal losses. The committee had been assured by the merchants of Auckland and Wellington that the buildings would not be allowed to remain empty for the lack of stocks. A statement attributed to the committee that traders would receive nothing for stocks was refuted by Mr Barton, who claimed that the actual statement was to the effect that applicants would have to be content with making a more modest start. With such assistance as the committee could recommend, they probably ■would not be able to maintain such stocks as they had carried before the earthquake. It wag definite that £1,250,000 was insufficient to meet all purposes, as the value of stocks lost amounted to £4.000,000, but it was equally definite that the amount available for rehabilitation was limited to £1,500,000, £250,00C being for local bodies.

Among questions asked of the speaker was one regarding the position of merchants who had helped Napier traders. Mr Barton, replying, stated that merchants who had made bad debts through the insolvency of a trader were entitled to put in claims, provided that the

trader’s insolvency was directly attributable to the earthquake. The meeting carried a unanimous vote of thanks to the merchants of New Zealand for assistance given in enabling retailers to recommence in business.

CLAIMS OF LOCAL LABOUR MR BARTON SYMPATHETIC. HASTINGS, June 10. Speaking to business men in Hastings this morning, Mr Barton referred to the importance of employing local workers on reconstruction. He was entirely in accord with the resolution from the meeting of. Hastings working men to the effect that every working man wished to rehabilitate himself as a worker and that only local labour should be engaged, as that was the only means by which the working man would be able to rehabilitate himself. Mr Barton pointed out, however, that it was beyond the powers . of the committee to force business people to carry out the request made in the resolution. The only thing the committee could do was morally to support the principle that local labour should be employed. It was a matter for those letting contracts to display loyalty to /their own town. He was sure the other members of the committee would associate themselves with the opinion he had expressed, and in making loans for reconstruction it would be on the understanding that, local men were to be employed wherever possible..

BUILDING REGULATIONS COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATIONS. WELLINGTON, June 10. A report of the work of the Building Regulation Committee* has been submitted to the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes).. It recommends comprehensive legislation providing for more control by the State over local body building by-laws, and authority for local bodies to demand a higher standard of construction in areas subject to earthquakes. The recommendations are only- tentative. A permanent New. Zealand Earthquake Investigation Committee, modelled on the Japanese organisation, is suggested. Unanimity was not reached concerning brick

buildings,, but the committee believed that brick construction should be limited to three storeys, and above that steel frame construction should be used. The foundations of future wooden structures should be braced more firmly. The committee was. unable, to solve the problem of an earthquake- resisting chimney, but it believed that a successful type of construction would be evolved. .The use _ot pumice concrete offered possibilities. The report suggests the use of qtlier methods . of heating, avoiding the use of chimneys;. In the. past, says the report, too mueh ■work has been planned by men without- a true sense of aesthetic values or structural principles regarding reinforced concrete I and steel buildings. The recommend®- | tions consist mainly of standardising: what to-day is recognised as sound practice in design. The report emphasises the. value of simplicity’ in design, integrity of workmanship, and efficient skilled supervision. More science and less material are required. The motto should be better buildings at less cost. New Zealand people must realise that earthquake risk is undoubtedly great, and all structures not properly, designed and constructed will suffer in- severe shakes. In the future architect and engineer must pay more attention to earthquake resistant construction, and co-operate with the geologist and the seismologist in the application of scientific principles. The need for preparedness in the cities is urged. Emergency stations should be selected inter connected, by private telephone, where plans, records, etc., can be preserved in the event of a great disaster. The necessity for critical examination of all .fire-fighting services, water supply, drainage, gas, etc., is obvious.

REBUILDING OF HOTELS LICENSING COMMITTEE’S POINTED HINT. HASTINGS, June 10. At a meeting of' the Hawke’s Bay Licensing Committee to-day Mr A. W. Mowlem, S.M., said the committee had no wish to cause annoyance to the. publicans who. had been hard hit, but ■wished to raise the question when the hotels destroyed by the earthquake wo.uld be rebuilt. The committee did not wish it to be expected 1 that the conditional licenses for temporary bars could he carried on indefinitely. They were ready

to help a man who had been hard hit,: but there must sooner or later be a cessation of the present temporary arrangements. It was hoped that something definite would be done before the September meeting of the committee. He hoped the publicans concerned would get back to such conditions that they would have at least something licensable. • It was not expected that the Grand Hotel and Masonic Hotel proprietors could do anything at present. Something ought to be done, however, in regard to the wooden buildings. Some would be prepared to carry on for a long time with temporary bars, but the committee had the public to protect.

METHODS OF DISBURSEMENT CENTRALISATION OF MONEY DESIRED. WELLINGTON, June 13. The Prime Minister (Air G. W. Forbes) stated to-day that a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Relief Fund Committee had recently confirmed the arrangement by which in tire meantime all assistance for the rehabilitation of houses is by way of loan without interest, repayable in monthly instalments over a period not exceeding 12 months. Financial assistance of this nature has also been extended to those who have paid for their own repairs and persons who are tradesmen and have carried out their own work. Mr Forbes said that, with a view to ascertaining the total amount of claims against the relief fund, in view of the settlement of a scheme of distribution’, notification is to be made that all claims must be submitted before July 31. It had been decided to request those in charge of funds not under the control of the central committee to pay over any unexpended balances to the credit of a central fund, where they would immediately earn interest at 5-J per cent. In the event of failure to comply it was proposed to bring down regulations requiring the payment of such fluids to the central fund. A report on the financial position of the fund shows the gross receipts to be £376,230, whilst the payments and com mitments against the fund amount to considerably over £2,000,000. The claims still to be received, however, will amount to a very large sum, and it is certain that the whole of the amount in hand will he required to meet the heavy demands likely to be made.