THE PENGUIN WRECK.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 517, 26 May 1909, Page 9

THE PENGUIN WRECK.

MEETING OF BELIEF COMMITTEE. The general committee, sot up in connection with the Penguin Relief Fund met yesterday morning. In the absence of the Hon. T. \f. Hislop, Mr. D. M'Laren, M.P., occupied the chair. . r . The. report of the committee stated that since tho date of its appointment on March 1 last— with instructions to give relief where necessary, 1/ report a scheme for distribution of the funds, and also to rcport.,on the necessity .or otherwiso for an active canvass for fundsit had made inquiries regarding tho 89 eases affected by the disaster, and had given relief in 44 cases to tho extent shown on the statement submitted, amounting to SS&i Is. lid., other expenditure to date, .£8 7s. lid., making a total of £5W 9s. lOd. Tho fund, however, had benefited by discounts amounting to £VJ Us. Bd., which had reduced the actual expenditure to £5G3 15s. 2d. Tho statement showed certain amounts lodged in the bank for convenience, only. These had sinco been withdrawn, and to'ether with ss. 3d. in hand, showed the actual amount, for which cheques had been drawn to bo £659 6s. 3d. Tho total contributions to the fund to date of statement amounted to Us. Gd., and after deducting the expenditure therefrom, the balance in hand was JG1196 Bs. 3d. : The committee had, in its opinion, reliovcd tho immediate necessities in all the most urgent cases, and it desired to know whether the general committee wished' to leave the further operations of tho fund in its hands boforo making additional disbursements.' There were a number of cases which would require consideration, either in the way of voting a lump sum or of making an allowanco of so much per'.'mwth or per quarter .so far as the funds would admit, or the circumstances appeared to require. itost of the: li cases already 'dealt with were virtually closed, but in regard to some of them particulars aro being sought abroad, and replies are expected shortly. Tho cominitteo did npt consider that a special canvass should be made, inasmuch as tho funds promised and in hand appeared to be equal to all probablo requirements. The diversity in the allocations were referred to by the chairman. He' added that tho merits of each case had been duly .weighed and proper' inquiries had been mado before payments were distributed. Ho thought tho sub-committeo • would havo all the money they needed'to. relievo immediate distress. The name of Mr. Turnbull was added to the-sub-committee. ';..].■■-'■ ' Mn. Martin Kennedy, spoke in appreciation of the work of the snb-committec.,: He hoped there had been no parsimony in dealing with olaims; applicants, he thought, should be treated liberallv. "l ; The Town Clerk (Mr. Jv E. Palmer) mentioned that a largo number of claims were not dealt with yet. . . .... ,'..'.,, ■ , It was decided that the sub-committeo should continue to act. ■. ■ Tho meeting closed, with congratulatory references'to. the work done.by .Mr. Palmer. . .