CONTROL ASSUMED

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 148, 19 March 1931, Page 11

CONTROL ASSUMED

Napier Commissioners GETTING INTO STRIDE More Shops to be Built By Telegraph—Press Association. Napier. Alarch 18. The Napier town commissioners are coping with the work of restoration, having taken over the reins of control from the various organisations. They have continued the activities which were promoted before their arrival, and have also instituted a number of new movements. Gratification has been expressed by Air. J. S. Barton, S.AL, in regard to the condition of Dickens Street. He had been led to believe that the great majority of the shops had been completely ruined, but had learned from his own observations that while a number had been destroyed, some were fit to use again. Good results, he said, were being obtained in response to tbe appeals for school children to return to. Napier. Yesterday there were 347 children at the Te Awa School, and a further 144 at the Central School, the total representing an increase of 70 per cent, on Alonday’s figures. There were also 45 pupils at the girls’ high school and 70 at the boys’ high school. The buildings were now taxed to. their limit, he added, and he was treating of the matter of finding. further accommodation urgently. I’he manner in which retailers were opening up in the block of community shops could be seen by the people for themselves. He had definitely decided to erect five more shops in the space which the contractors had said was available in Alemorial Square. The clearance of rubble from the streets was being pushed ahead, and arrangements were being made for a “cleanup” day, when an extensive effort would be made to complete the work with borough labour. The restoration of the water and drainage services was well in hand, being controlled by the Wellington city engineer, Mr. G. Hart, who is recognised as one of the Dominion’s leading authorities on that class of work. An attempt was also being made to .cope with all possible sources of danger in the event of rain. NAPIER REFUGEES Repatriation Problem MR. BARNARD’S PLAN Suggestions for facilitating the repatriation of refugees who belong to Napier is made by Mr. W. E. Barnard, AI.P. for Napier, in a letter he forwarded to the Hawke’s Bay earthquake commissioners yesterday. “It is evident,” said Air. Barnard, “that the process of repatriating refugees who belong to Napier is proceeding very slowly, even though the increase in the number of those returning is steady. • The requirement that, before issue of a permit which enables, free railway travel, the authority in Napier must be satisfied In advance that the refugee has a habitable house to go to, or will be provided on arrival with accommodation in habitable premises, is creating a real difficulty for mauy refugees who desire to return for the purpose of cleaning up the interior of their homes and taking steps to make them habitable. It is very desirable that the strain which is being nlaced upon the generous hospitality of the citizens of Wellington and other places throughout New Zealand should not be continued longer than is absolutely necessary. “Further, while the Napier Relief Committee is concerned in caring for the needs of refugees, it does not seem to me that the whole work of repatriation should be cast upon the committee, which is already fully occupied with the difficult problems of relief. I would therefore suggest for your consideration: (1) That a special repatriation office be set up in Napier. (2) That in approved cases refugees be given temporary accommodation in tents in Nelson Park or elsewhere while they are engaged in putting their furniture in place, removing broken crockery, etc., cleaning out their houses, and arranging for such repairs as are necessary to make them tenantable.” POST OFFICE DAMAGE Position in Hawke’s Bay -REBUILDING PLANS “If the whole world were wrecked 1 think the Post. Office would be found carrying on,” said a recent visitor from Hawke’s Bay, who found tbe Post Office functioning normally though bereft of the dignified buildings that usually house its officials. An inquiry was made yesterday aS to what was the position in regard to tbe Post. Offices in the three towns which suffered most severely from the effects of the recent big shakes. At Napier the new reinforced concrete and stoue Post Offic in Hastings Street stood up well to the shake, but was turned into a red hot furnace by the fire which gained an entrance through the back windows from the blazing Blythe drapery warehouse. Whether or not it will be possible to utilise the old walls of that building has not yet been decided. The Post Office authorities are awaiting tbe decision oi the Public Works Department, which hitherto has had its hands too lull ot other work to attend to this building. The Post Office, however, is fulfilling its normal functions in a temporary structure not far away. At Hastings, where the tower fell, pulling out great sections of the brickwork of the main building, an extensive change is taking place. The recent addition in briek withstood the quake, with the exception that the front wall has a bulge outward, and is being held up at present bv some stout ironbark telegraph poles. 'This wall will have Io come down, and the new Post Office will be built on the site of the old one on the corner, which has already been cleared. When tbe tower of the Mairoa lost Office fell it wrecked practically the whole of the top floor. The whole building is in a bad way, and may hav to be wholly rebuilt. RETURN TO HOSPITAL Rebuilding Programme The Napier Hospital is to be removed from the Napier Park Racecourse to the old site on the hill to-day, the accommodation that is provided being sufficient for 50 patients and the necessary staff to care for them. It was the original intention to abandon the racecourse a few weeks ago. lint it was finally decided to delay this step for a time to enable permanent accommodation to be provided for the nurses in McHardy Home instead of in tents, as was at first contemplated. Repairs have now been effected to McHardy Home and it is tit for occupation. Work is proceeding steadily with the demolition of the damaged wards and other buildings. No definite policy in regard to the future rebuilding programme has yet been determined by the board, but this will be one of the matters which will receive consideration when it meets in the course of * week or fxx.