“CALAMITOUS NEWS”

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25345, 19 November 1947, Page 8

“CALAMITOUS NEWS”

SYMPATHY EXPRESSED BY PARLIAMENT (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON. November 18. The sympathy of Parliament with the relatives of those who lost their lives and with the injured' in the Christchurch fire was expressed by the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) when the House of Representatives resumed this evening after the tea adjournment. Mr Fraser said the calamitous news came as a shock to the whole country. Mr Holland said he joined with the Prime Minister in expressing sympathy with those who suffered in the fire and grief at the loss of life. Mr Holland and the Minister of Labour (Mr A. McLagan) will leave by special plane at 7 o’clock tomorrow morning for Christchurch to see what assistance can be given and to gather details of the disaster. When

they return they will report to the Prime Minister and make any recommendations on what relief measures the Government can give. All Christchurch members of Parliament will go south to attend the funeral of the victims. “I have ordered the Public Works Department to place the whole of its organisation at the disposal of the Christchurch authorities.” said the Minister of Works (Mr R. Semple) in an interview. “The department has i machinery and whatever it can do will ’ be done.” * i TELEPHONE EXCHANGE OVERLOADED I A few minutes after the fire at Ballantyne’s store started yesterday. ; telephone lines throughout the city • were paralysed as the maximum number of calls the central exchange can ; handle was reached. By 4.30 p.m. it • was impossible to make a telephone ‘ call from most City offices and it was . not until 5.30 p.m. that the volume of ■ calls reached a normal size. Police ! officers, officials, and business men ■ from buildings near the fire were em- > harassed throughout this time by I being deprived of the use of the tele--1 Phone when it was most needed.