THE RAETIHI FIRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 182, 22 April 1918, Page 8

THE RAETIHI FIRE

HELP FOR THE SUFFERERS

GOVERNMENT LOAN SOUGHT

A deputation on behalf of the distressed settlers and workers who suffered by the late disastrous liro at Haelihi wailed upon the lticlit [ton. Sir Joseph Ward, Minister ol finance, 011 Saturday morning.

. Air. h \\. hmilh, M.P.„ in introducing the drpulntion, said that lllis was an exceptional ease and called for an exi.q>t,onal remedy. Tlie't-ioverimicnl, had given ..Ml Jor relief for the must 110tiwiious cases, and the. piil,i,d had been very good and Imd subscribed inuiiev and had also subscribed in, kind. The proJiosiil before the Uoveniment was |o subsidisemonetary subscriptions X for X, and I hey earnestly hoped f or assistance to that end. I'hey were now going to ask tor a larger amount of money. TIIO spocia mwsion of the deputation was tu ask the Minister of finance to help thi.Mii by way of loan. There ihad heeu a, very strong committee set up with a view In assist ing Ihe settlers and others back on to their feel. They did not expect the (loverniuenl (0 put them back in I lie position (hey were in before, because they recognised that tbat was' impossible, but they wanted the best assistance that could bo given, and they wanted (ho Government, to give them as .liberal treatment as possible, from the Advances to Settlers Department. They recognised that there would have lo be reasonable safeguards. Their district was a very valuable one and one in which the Government could invest money with absolute (safety. The tattlers were men who knew then- business, and all they wanted was help by way of advances so that they could be put in the position of onco more making the district a valuable producing centre. Mr. E. ,1. Barry, Mayor of Oliakune, outlined the position in regard to the district. He mentioned that, the committee thiil, was proposed to be eel, up to administer the funds would consist ot three members of tho Efficiency Board in Baetihi, two Government nominees, two clergymen, three members elected at a Public meeting at, Ilaetfhi, with power to add two others to their number when they met. They would be an executivo to administer the funds in hand. An old executive had: been administering immediate relief. There was a sum of ,£IO,OOO in bund which they intended to distribute pro rain among the poorer people. They had been unable to touch, from a financial point, of view, tho farming and milling interests. Mr. M'Kcnzie, manager' of the Bank of New Zealand, had been through the district nnd had compiled some figures in regard to the losses, which Mr. Barry set out as follow-.— £ A detailed list of losses, as estimated by individual settlers, is about 31,000 sheep, say, at .'lOs 51,000 The returns of grass country burnt is 17,000 acres. This costs llhe settler at least 30s. per acre; the Government have already advanced some ■£25,000 under this head. (Tho last, figures to some, extent, bear out the? estimated loss of sheep at 2 to the acre.) 25,000 Nine sawmills and timber stocks burnt, say, at ,£ISOO apiece ... 13,500 The police figures for cattle are... 25,000 The needy cases work out at 10,000 Amount of insurances is approximately 15,000 Add for losses to buildings, say (above insurance) -15,000 £214.500

The loss on sheep, fats, .which would have accrued to the faa-mer cannot bo estimated, but one could readily say from one to one and a half sheep to Una acre on even the amount burnt, is heavy.

Mr. Biiviy slated that no provision in the estimate had been made in regard to fencing, which ho put at a low estimate of £10,000. Ho considered that JE225,0U0 was :i pretty fair indication of the. loss suffered in the district.. He also mentioned tho losses of individual settlers, and gave a» instnnce of one man who had lost 700 sheep, each at 305., representing £1050, -10 cattle (£400), 000 acres of grass (£300). He had it mortgage on overdaft of £2000. It was suggested that the Government in a case similar to this should lend £1000 for a long term at 5 per cent, to put the man on his legs. They asked that the Government should provide a sum of .£75,000, which, added to the £25,000 already granted for grass-seed, would make a total amount of £100,000 of Government aid. This would leave the settlers' loss at £125,000. If this sum was granted, the district would go ahead swimmingly,' an?" the people would bo more than grateful for the assistance.

Sir Joseph Ward asked if they could indicate how long a term the loan should be for.

Mr. Barry considered thirty-three years, as was the case with the State Advances loans, with a silfßng fulfil.

Mr. Harris, president of the Farmers' Union, Kaetihi, u(so supported the representations made, by .Mr. Barry, and urged for an early decision, as those concerned were naturally more than anxious to know what (heir fate was to be. At present they were all in great distress und lull of anxiety.

Sir Joseph Ward, in reply, said it -was hardly necessary lor him to inform the deputation that the Government had the greatest sympathy for the settlers in the great calamity they had fluttered. He thought that they were right in asking that the amount advanced should be by way of loan. The matter" was considered by Cabinet not very long ago, and Cabinet was of the opinion that the Government should give assistance by way of loan. But they wanted to know the general position, and an outline had now been given him showing the loss was very heavy, and he thought that tho deputation's proposal that the settlors share a considerable portion of the loss wits a very commendable one. The Government had already shown its sympathv in a practical way by advancing lor llio purchase of grass-seed. Ho could •ot tell them that morning what Cabinet uould do, as the matter had yet to bo tiirly considered. Ho would submit their representations to Cabinet with the statement of loss which had been furnished, together with the recommendation which they'had made in regard lo assistance, and they would be of the decision as soon as possible. All the members of the Cabinet' were in sympathy with the settlers and the workers who had experienced such a heavy loss. The question of a subsidy on tho amount contributed was at present before Cabinet, lie referred to tho recent Opotiki Hood, and said that, whatever lines were adopted iu regard to Kaetihi, similar assistance in cases of distress and absolute necessity would necessarily be considered for those affected there. When anything in the way ot Hood or fire occurred, each, of course, would havo to be considered by tho Government, and until they canto to a decision he could not say what would bo done.

Mr. Barry mentioned that in regard lu loans it would bo found iu some instances that tho security would vary, and would bo such that the Advances i".j Stttiers Department could not entertain, lie suggested that each case should be lirought before the local eominiltce, who could make recommendations in each case.

Sir Joseph Ward staled Hint mi duubl Koine satisfactory arrangen i. could be devised after the broad principle had been disposed of by Cabinet. Ho indicated that loans for relief in cases of disaster such ;>« this could not be made through the Advances to Settlers Department. That Department was in no sense a relief Department. It was a lending Department on cheap and easy terms, and its lending powers wero governed by Acl. An amount such as they wero asking for wi« (juite outside the terms of the Act. In tho ordinary courso of things thee Slalo Advances 'Department would, apart from tho present proposal, deal with settlors and workers upon tho -merits of any business offered lliein. 110 would submit the proposal for financial relief to Cabinet.

Mr. Barry thanked Urn Minister for his courtesy in receiving them during his time, of great pressure.