MUST RETURN

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 166, 10 April 1931, Page 11

MUST RETURN

Hawke’s Bay Refugees NAPIER DECISION i _ ■ ; Notices to be Served CAMP ARRANGEMENTS Dominion Special Service. Hastings, April 9. In order to expedite the return of all Napier residents at present residing in other towns, the Napier Relief Committee is to circularise all district public trustees asking them ' to co-operate in this connection with the committees in their districts controlling refugees. The committees are. to serve notices on all refugees requiring them to return immediately to their homes and inform them if they do not depart within seven days from the date of the dispatch of tike notice to them all relief will be withdrawn and all free passes cancelled. They will be then required to maintain themselves and pay their own transport back. In regard to those people who for sufficient reasons are not able to return immediately, such as hospital patients and others not in a fit condition to travel, the time for their departure may be extended at the discretion of the local committees on representations being made to them. Applications for extensions of time, however, will not be granted without very good reasons. As far as rail transport is concerned, the Railway Department has advised that all station-masters have authority to issue free passes to refugees returning home on the production of proper certificates from the local relief committees that applicants were genuine earthquake refugees. Therefore, it is necessary that all refugees should obtain the necessary certificate from their respective lo<il committee. Arrangements have been made for the refugees to be accommodated at Nelson Park for a period of three days if they desire. If meals are required they will be charged at the rate of 9d. per day per adult for those persons who are able to pay, while indigent persons will be supplied with tea and breakfast on satisfactory arrangements being made with headquarters at the camp. DEMAND FOR HOUSES Hastings Experience INTERESTING THEORY Dominion Special Service. Hastings, April 9. “Every day I turn away au average of fifteen to twenty people seeking houses to let,” said a Hastings land agent this morning. “If I had fifty houses to let I could dispose of them all in one day,” be added, "but we haven’t one such house ou our books, though wc may consider ourselves in a pretty large way of business. On the other hand, there is hardly any demand at all for houses for sale, and I believe that our experience is common to all land agents in the town.” The agent went on to state the remarkable fact that bis office alone had on its books enarly one hundred and fifty properties ou offer for exchange for Hastings properties. The inquiries came from Wellington, Christchurch. Dunedin and the smaller towns of the Dominion, and even from Sydney. Asked wehther he could explain the .motive underlying such inquiries, he answered by expressing his belief that human fear, as much as anything else, was the explanation. “People no doubt feel that Hastings and Napier have had their earthquake, and consequently will now be immune—at least for some generations to come, and that thus they are safer to live in than the towns which, it may be reasonable enough to fear, have an earthquake to come. Business reasons, even speculative motives perhaps, may have something to do with the demand for exchange properties, but I believe the dominant motive is the feeling that Hastings is now a place of assured immunity from earthquake. “I have one very definite conviction,” concluded the agent, “which is that Hastings is going to enjoy a sustained period of steady progress, and ultimately of prosperity. I do not think there will bo a boom here by any means; and I sincerely hope not. But I do believe that once the winter is safely passed, wc shall go ahead steadily but surely.”

GIFT FROM JAPAN A Sign of -Sympathy A donation of 500 yen (approximately £5O) has been made by the Japanese Red Cross Society to t-.e New Zealand Red Cross Society’s earthquake relief fund. Information concerning the donation has been received by Sir Heaton Rhodes, president of the New Zealand Red Cross Society, in a letter from Prince Tokugawa, vice-presi-dent of the Japanese society. Prince Tokugawa writes: “I have the honour to inform you that as a ■ sign of sympathy toward the victims of the earthquake which was recently felt in New Zealand, the Japanese Rod Cross Society has sent the sum of 500 yen to the New Zealand Red Cross Society through the Minister of External Affairs. Tokio. I hope that this gift will contribute to the assistance of the unfortunate sufferers.” The takings last week of the Thompson Payne Picture Company at AleLoan Park. Napier, amounted to £1.12. I his is a record since the talkies have been installed at the park. Napier’s gas supply will be restored in the course of the next few days. The task of repairing damaged mains and house connections, in addition to the work involved at the gasworks itself, has been a particularly difficult one, and the restoration of the supply so promptly reflects the greatest credit to all concerned.