THE RECENT FIRES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9944, 25 January 1898, Page 5

THE RECENT FIRES.

ii-e-i ' MEETING IN CHRISTCHURCH.

A meeting of citizens,, convened by hie Worship the Mayor, to consider what steps khoald be taken to raise a fund for the relief of the sufferers by the Oxford and Birch Hill fires, was held in the City Council Chambers at 4 p.m. yesterday. His Worship the Mayor presided, and there was a fairly representative attendance. Amongst those present were the Mayor of Linwood, the Mayor of St. Albane, Hoc. C. C. Bowen, Rev. W. S.~ Bean, Messrs John Ingram (Oxford), Q. Humphreys, B. Smith, W. Chrystall, Cecil Louisson, W. W. Collins, W. D. Meares, H. B. Kirk, G. Capper, H. H. Raymond, G. Hulme, Tribe, J. 08. Hoare, Cfcs. Sandstein, Soreusen and Andrews. The Mayor said that the first thing they should do was to decide whether they should make the fund provincial or general. He thought it would be advisable to make the fund a provincial one, as unless they did there would be complication of accounts. He thought they ought to decide thie matter first. With regard to the means of assistance, he had received innumerable letters on the subject, but he thought he could not do better than ask Mr John Ingram, of Oxford, to give an account of the devastation at Oxford. He had received several letters of sympathy, from Captain Marciel and Mr Elliott forwarding £1 Iβ each, from Black, Beattie and Co. enclosing a oheque for £5 ss, from Louis, son Bros. £1 Is, from Goidd, Beawmont and Co. enclosing a cheque for £5, from Mr Wardrop enclosing a cheque for £2 2s, from Mr H. B. Kirk enclosing £1 la, frooa the Mayor of New Brighton statins* that he would give every assistance in hie power, from Mr W. P. Cowlishaw stating that he would subscribe and give all assistance in his power. A letter had been received from a man at Little River asking for assistance owing to his loss at a fire at Little River, when he lost all. .The case was recommended by Father Chmmixigs. He would ask the Town Clerk to read the list of contributions which had been received by the Mayor exclusive of those which -had been received by the Press. The Town Clerk read the list of the subscriptions received. Mr Ingram addressed the meeting, pointing out that the loss and destitution at Oxford caused by the fire was far more than had been reported by the newspapers. Over an area of eight miles the fire had swept, out of fifty houses in the area twentysix had been destroyed and twenty* six families had been rendered destitute. Mr Murray, the Secretary of the Oxford Relief Fund, had gone into the matter and had estimated the total loss at £10,000 and that twenty-one families were rendered absolutely homeless. The fire oame so suddenly upon the people that tliey were unable to help each other, but had all they could do to save themselves. In fact, the smoke was so thiok that people did not know what was going oa. The Oxford people met at onoe, wad some £65 was subscribed in the room. Mr Murray had handed them some £5 and some £1 eaon. Hβ would like to point out that the people who had been burnt out had lost every bit of their furniture, &o. All the fencing had been burnt in the eight ntilea radius and all the grass had been ournt, bo that the small settlers who depended on their grass for feeding their cattle had keft their pasturage. As to the loss of sheep, lie thought about 1000 would cover what had been lost. A couple of caw mills had been burnt down, and the men employed therein would of course lose their labour. The v owners were working men, who had lost their all, and there were some forty men out of employment. At a meeting of the committee at Oxford on Saturday night ifc was resolved to include the Birch Hill sufferers, and several Biroh Hill residents, together with the Mayor of Rangiora, were associated with the committee. It was intended to colleot particulars as to the requirements of the Biroh Hill autfcrera, and Mr Murray had gone over to relieve the most pressing cases. If they could raise the sum of £2000 they would be enabled to build cottages foi those who could not do so for themselves, provide grass seed, &c. The private loss, as he had said, was some £10,000, but, oi course, they could not expect) to have the whole of this refunded. The Christohurcb people had been very kind in sending parcels of clothing, mainly through Mr WayuvDUth, and the Kaiapoi people had sent blankets, &c. The Committee woold be pleaecid to receive blankets, clothing, and material foe ticking, &c. Twenty-one families, with each a number of children, had lost all theic clothing, and the Committee would be glad to receive help in this respect, Mr H. B. Kirk moved— ,, Thatthe fund now being initiated be distributed amongst the sufferers by the bush fires in Canterbury." Mr E. Smith seconded the motion. Mr Gko. Humphreys thought that the response to the appeal on behalf of the sufferers by the Oxford and Birch Hill fires would be a liberal one, but the reaohlftion should distinctly state that the fund should be apportioned to the sufferers by the Birch Hiil and Oxford fires. After some further discussion, it Was resolved that the subscriptions should be apportioned between the eafferers by the late bush fires in Canterbury. Mr F. T. Haskine, the town clerk, was appointed secretary and treasurer to the. fund. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr E. Smith, that those present •should form themselves into a general committee, with' power to add to their number. The Chairman said that the Kineraatograph Syndicate had offered to gave an entertainment at the Theatre Royal. Mr W. W. Collins offered to repeat hie illaetrated lecture on Naneen'e voyage to the North Pole. These ought to produce a goodly sum. The following gentlemen were appointed as an executive committee :—His Worship the Mayor, Mcssrfl Humphreys, Meares, Kirk, Sandstein, E. Smith, O'Brien Hoare, Sorensen, Chrystall, the Mayors of St. Albans and Linwood. The entertainment committee were ap* pointed as under:—Messrs B. C. Bishop, T. Garrard, Geo. Capper, G. T. Booth, T. ! Maudo, W. E. Mills. H. H. Rayward, W. Recce, E. W. Roper, F. Waymouth, W. T. Charlewood, J. J. Kineey, G. W. Hulme, G. R.Hart, O. W. Exall, J, R. Triggs, and •Captaiu Marciel, with power to add to their number. Meesi-s E. Smith, Waymooth, R, 0. Bishop, H. B. Kirk, W. R. Mitchell, and H. B. Sorensen were appointed a canvmscnflg committee. . Mr Ingram said that the ladies of Oxford were going on Wednesday next to hold a working bee to make dp any material which might be sent on to them. If the meterukle were forwarded they would take charge of them. ...'-.-. Mr Gzo. Capper said that in Nelson they had made a goodly sum by a costume cricket rnatoh. If one was got up here, considering bow popular cricket was here, there would no donbt be a large sum raised. If a meeting was called of cricketers to Consider the qneation he had no doubt they would give their co-operation. The matter was referred to the Ent«f« tainment Committee. On the motion of Or. Sanpsihijc, a hearty vote of thanks wm accorded to Mr lognm for his efforts in connection with the relief of the sufferers and also for his attendance that day. The meeting then terminfcfced.

Tbe Sydenham Borough Council Last night resolved to receive subscriptions for tha fires relief fund. At a meeting at Oxford on Saturday evening it was resolved that the sufferers of Bfrch Hill should participate in the benefits of the fund. Tho Treasurer reported £150 in credit. The Secretary reported that be"' had made enquiries as to the various needs of at—ferera, - and had disbursed £66 to meet necesaitous oases, twenty-four packages of clothing had beer received, ana £30 worth oi blankets from the Kaiapoi Woollen Factory. (Jorrespondence was received from Mr J. L. Wilson, Mayor of Kaiapoi, aad from the Mayor of Linwood, intimating that subscription lists bad been opened for the benefit of the fund, and front the Chair man of tbe West Eyrebon Road Board, Mr F. Waymouth, the W.T.C.U., Kaiapoi; and Father Aubrey; and Mr Wagsbafl", on behalf of employees of Messrs J. Ballantyne and Co., covering gifts and clothing. A resolution was passed expressing gratification that an inquiry waa being held into tbe cause of Urn flea b» tha go-a-iiMPfe. Tha ladies

were invited to hold a meeting at the Library on Wednesday afbernoon. The Executive met at the close of the meeting and transacted necessary business, and Mr C. Lugar's name was added.