EARTHQUAKE RELIEF

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 31, 31 October 1929, Page 10

EARTHQUAKE RELIEF

WORK OF SUB-COMMITTEE GRANTS RECOMMENDED The work of the Earthquake Relief Sub-Committee has not yet been completed, as applications are still being received. The sub-committee has given consideration to a large number of claims, and grants totalling £54,288 have been recommended. In the House of Representatives yesterday the Acting-Leader (Hon. G. W. Forbes) explained that the sub-com-mittee had generally followed the recommendations of the district committees, but in a few instances, where settlers could be expected to provide free labour, slight reductions had been made. The recommendations of the subcommittee had been approved in anticipation of the approval of the Central Committee, and the decisions bad been conveyed to the District Relief Committees, so that relief measures were not being delayed in any way. Grants totalling £20,047 Ils. 3d. had been authorised on the recommendation of the Murchison Committee, and £4109 15s. on the recommendation of the Karamea Committee. The latter committee was itself dealing with claims under £l5. In the case of the Manila and Corbyvale settlers, where lack of access was the trouble, the position had been met by authorising the payment of allowances to the Marula settlers, and in regard to Corbyvale similar provision would be made, but the committee was awaiting information as to the number of dependants of the settlers there. In some cases the sub-committee had considered it expedient to hold over applications pending receipt of further information. The applications which had not been dealt with were mostly confined to people in more or less comfortable circumstances and to applications by Institutions. “It may be added,” concluded the Minister, “that two members of the sub-committee recently visited the districts and conferred with the local committees in regard to claims where sufficient information had not in the first instance been supplied. The local committees visited had no complaint to make as to the administration of relief measures." Further Contributions.

Amounts received by the Prime Minister for the Central Relief Fund are as follow: —

£ s. d. Previously acknowledged 141,150 16 2 Clerk, Akitio County, Pongaroa 1 0 0 Town Clerk, Putaruru.. 39 1 6 Town Clerk, Invercargill 111 5 0 Town Clerk, Nelson .... €>50 0 0 Total to October 29 .. £141,352 2 8