EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 January 1943, Page 2

EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE

AND “APPALLING” ACCOUNTS. — . 4. .Mr-.. REVIEW BY TREASURY COMMITTEE SUGGESTED BY FARMERS’ UNION. USE OF WAR DAMAGE FUNDS ALSO PROPOSED. “That the Treasury be asked to appoint a committee, headed by a Public Works engineer, to assess a fair charge for the work done on each job during the emergency period was ,a resolution which was carried at yesterday afternoon’s meeting in Masterton of the Wairarapa Provincia Executive of the Farmers’ Union, following a discussion of earthquake accounts. ... , “Earthquakes should not be permitted in this lancl of time and overtime—the Arbitration Court is too rigid to C °P® . with them,” said Mr L. T. Daniell. It is understood that 14,000 chimneys were damaged in the district of which over 5,000 were rated as essential or. first line. The accounts have been sent out and in a good many cases have appalled the recipients.” ' “Could not the Treasury appoint a committee to assess a fair charge for each job had it been under normal conditions?” asked Mr Daniell. A Public Works engineer and the Borough Engineer could be the nucleus of a committee for Masterton and county engineers could assist in rural districts. n A resolution was also passed which asked the Government to use the War Damages Insurance Account towards the relief of earthquake damage, or reduce the amount of the premium. . “It should be pointed out that in the case of cities being bombed by the enemy a heavy insurance rund is being built up,” sa'id Mr Daniell, “and every outlying householder is contributing to it. Yet if the rural districts are devastated by an act of God, the Big City Government lies low and forgets about it.”