"CRYING SHAME."

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 109, 11 May 1939, Page 14

"CRYING SHAME."

GOVERNMENT STAND. EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE LOAN. WAIROA'S STRONG FtROTEST. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) GISBORNE, this day. "The whole thing reeks of injustice," declared Mr. H. L. Harker, Mayor of Wairoa, in trenchantly criticising the fJoverninent'B decision not to cancel Wairoa's earthquate damage restoration loans at the Wairoa Harbour Board meeting. The board decided to support the Borough Council in its request to the Minister of Finance for similar treatment to Napier Borougti. Failing a satisfactory reply, it was suggested that a petition be submitted to Parliament. Mr. Harker said he did not blame this fiovernment any more than the previous (iovernment, but he blamed them both 100 per cent. The reason why the present Government might be blamed a little more was that when it occupied the Opposition benches it stated that the then Government's attitude was a "crying shame," as it was never intended that the loans should be repaid. Wairoa was far worse off than either Napier or Hastings. The town suffered two disastrous rarthquakes and then again the (iistrii-t was subject to two disastrous floods in February and April last year. During the slump Wairoa had a larger proportion of unemployed than any place in the Dominion. Mr. Harker expressed the opinion that the manner in which Wairoa had been treated was absolutely a rank injustice. "We should not be prepared to sit down and accept that," said Mr. Harker, who added that, failing a satisfactory reply from the Minister, they should take the matter to Parliament and ask members to vote on it. He stated that he would not like it to go out as the opinion of the board that Wairoa County received good treatment. This district, in his opinion, had less money >|ient on it than any other in New Zealand. The whole district had been unjustly treated. It was a definite caee of justice and injustice.