CHIMNEY REPAIRS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 December 1942, Page 2

CHIMNEY REPAIRS

NO NEED FOR HARDSHIP relief available. STATEMENT BY MR ROBERTSON. Observing that he agreed with the statement of the Mayor, Mr T. Jordan, in regard to earthquake repair accounts. Mr J. Robertson, M.P.. said that, on the'whole, and compared with areas outside the Wairarapa, the anangements for carrying out chimney repairs in the district had been well controlled. With the provision made for financial relief for those unable to meet the cost of repairs, there was no need for anyone to suffer hardship. Social Security beneficiaries, without the means to meet the cost of repairs, said Mr Robertson, in accordance with the expressed intention of the Prime Minister, would be relieved of payment. There was no suggestion that local body rates would be called upon to meet the deficiency; it would be met by the Government. People who were in a comparatively good financial position, but who at the same time might be embarrassed if they had to find the money right away, could make application. for loans on very easy terms. They should take their case to the Town Clerk or County Clrek, and put in their claim for consideration. Mr Robertson said the people in the Wairarapa, under the repair scheme adopted here, obtained relief much more quickly than was the case in outside areas, in spite of being a country district. Taking into consideration the fact that the building resources of New Zealand at the time of the earthquake were mobilised for urgent defence purposes, it was a tremendously difficult task to get such.a job done at all under the circumstances . 'An American war correspondent, Mr Joseph Harsch, had stated recently that, until this October, it was a question whether Australia or New Zealand would be held against Japanese attack.