Inconsistencies In ’Quake Payments

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31771, 30 August 1968, Page 20

Inconsistencies In ’Quake Payments

(From Our Own Reporter)

GREYMOUTH, August 29.

Inconsistent payments are being received in Greymouth in connection with assessments made by officers employed by the Earthquake and War Damage Commission. In some cases there has been a substantial reduction from the amount assessed, while there have been other instances of persons receiving well above the amount.

There have also been cases of persons who had visits from two different assessors receiving two cheques for the same amount of damage.

One Greymouth resident is most irate. He received advice a few days ago that a cheque was being forwarded to the mortgagee of his property. He has no mortgage, and has never had one. One case reported yesterday showed that a payment of $119.50 had been made, whereas the assessment was $132.25 —a deficiency of $12.75. In a second case, the damage was assessed at $130.50, yet the cheque was for only $68.70 a difference of $61.80. The $lO franchise had been deducted in both assessments. The receivers of the cheques are at a loss to understand the position. They say the long delay in receiving payment has held up repair work on their properties.