EARTHQUAKE BILL

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 174, 20 April 1931, Page 11

EARTHQUAKE BILL

Chambers of Commerce Criticism t HAWKE’S BAY INDIGNANT e s , - e * • • • — — ■ '' . 1 ‘ j By Telegraph— Press Association. 1 Hastings, April 19. i At a meeting of representatives of - business men in Napier and Hastings ’ on Saturday afternoon, indignation was 1 expressed that the executive of the " Associated Chambers of Commerce had B published criticism of the Earthquake _ Bill without any reference to the cham- - bers in the Hawke’s Bay district. The meeting’S'gave expression to the f view that the criticism and proposals ; had evidently been framed by persons f without a knowledge of the conditions t obtaining in affected districts, and that t the proposal, if adopted, would retard i for years the reconstruction urgently • necessary. ! EDUCATION IN . H.B. r' • . • ’ Schools to Amalgamate ) ■ ■ ■■ ’ MINISTER GIVES LEAD' By Telegraph—Press Association. J Napier, April 19. A meeting of the Napier High and : Technical School Boards with the Minister of Education on Saturday evening decided to amalgamate the two schools. The Minister had urged amalgamation in the interests of economy and efficiency under one board. There would be two schools, namely, a girls’ high and a boys’ high, with provision at each for instruction both academic and technical. - ■ , .- / , -— * HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL Board Wants Grant By Telegraph—Press Association. " ‘ Hastings, April 19. The Minister, of Education assured ’■'the Hastings High School Board on S aturday afternoon that the recommendation for a .grant for the reconditioning of the Hastings High School would go before Cabinet at the next meeting, and the work would proceed' immediately it was approved. z The Minister denied there had been any unnecessary delay. He had to await reports before he could take any action. ■MAORIS LOSE CREDIT Result of Earthquake RE-ESTABLISHMENT PLEA Stating that the Maori had' suffered a commercial rather than a physical earthquake, with the result that his credit was gone, Major J. Ml Power advanced a new point concerning the Hawke’s Bay earthquake when he returned on Satur? day after two month's’ work at Hastings and Napier in charge of Red Cross activities. Major Power had a special commission to watch the interests of* the Maori people ,in Hawke’s Bay. The Maoris’ property losses had jjeon just as great as the white man’s, he said, but as the average Native owned less damageable property his direct loss had been less. But his credit was gone, and unless it were restored without delay the aggregate loss to Hawke’s Bay,’ and to New Zealand, would be a big one. The small Maori farmer had been. accustomed to carrying on from cheque to cheque —shearing, wool, or other cheques—-on credit given by the various stock and station agents against the following season’s cheques. This arrangement hud been in operation for many years, but prior to the earthquake the general, depression led to a tightening up, the severe drought in Hawke’# Bay had added to difficulties, and when the smash of February 3 happened the small Maori farmer had found that his credit had completely gone—not because the agents had lost faith in him, but because . resources were; strained to the utmost.. , ■ ■ Major Power suggested that credit could .be re-established .by means 'of a guarantee (o stock and station agents, which might be given either through the Native Land Board or the Maori Purposes’Board, or by setting aside a not ver’' great portion o£ the earthquake relief . funds.: “Because the Maori farmer is a small, man his work and troubles are lively to be. lost, sight of in the bigger issues in the rehabilitation of Hawke’s Bay town and country.” he said, “but in the aggregate'his work is of very great value; and upon it depends to»,a much greater extent than is realised the prosperity Of Hawke’s Ray. It is very necessary that his-credit shouldwie re-establish? „ cd at once.” ; EARTHQUAKE FUNDS Government List £321,665 The Prime Minister’s -fund for earthquake relief totalled £ 321.(165/12/6 up to Saturday. Following are details:— PRIME MINISTER’S FUND

THE MAYOR’S LIST £ s. d. Previously acknowledged ~..41,179 15 3 Per Newtown Committee— R.8.G., 2/-; Mrs. Bell. 2/-; .r. G. Marshall. Ltd.. .£1 !/•: K. Goslev.. 2Z-: Marin, 1/6: E.R.. 2/6; t0..M.5..-2/0; A. Kuowslcy. 2/6 f M. .McLean. 2/6: Inmates Grafton Rest Home. 8/6: Mrs. J. Megan, . 5/-; J. W. Wood. 2/0; Sullivan, 2/6; Spence. 2/6; G.F.H.. 2/6;.A.C.N„ 2/6; D.. .2/6; M.A.Y., 3/-; Young. M..' ">/-; D. Condon, 1/-: Mrs. Avery, 5/-; A. 8., 2/6; C.M., 4/-; Reduced, 2/6 4 1(1 0 Per C. Wilkinson—A. Friend, • 5/-: Mrs. Harris. 5/- 010 0 Federated Cooks' and Stewards’ Union 1 15 6 Per R. P. Moore —s.s. Ulirnaroa 1 16 8 "Patea” 0 3 0 Trlnitv Church, Wellington South () 0 Wesley Church. Island Bay ~ ,874 Residents of Huknnui 15 0 0 Total £41.242 15 4

s. d. Previously acknowledged .. 321,025 1 8 The Dixon .Investment Co., Ltd.. Birmingham. England 100 0 0 European and Native . people Ilarotonga . JOO 0 0 Town Clerk, Eketahuna 123 6 o Town Clerk, Lawrence 16 1.3 0 Clerk. • Mackenzie County Council. Fairlie 5 10 0 Air. F. A. Laloli. Roxburgh .. 16 0 Staff Public Works ■ Dept., head office 0 10 0 Wyndham branch of the Farmers’ Union lit n 0 T’nkekohe Borough Connell .. Clerk, Kailfohe Town Board . 27 5 11 29 9 (I Children of the WalomatatinI Native School, near Ruatorin, Gisborne ...;............. 0 0 Children of the Itakaumanga Native School. Iluntly .... 1 10 0 Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia). Ltd.. Wellington . 50 0 0 Residents of (Jhlngaiti and district 50 6 Officers, engineers, and crew of the T.S.M.V. Taranaki ... 13 11 9 Total £ 321.665 12 6