DEPUTATION TO MAYOR

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 138, 8 December 1926, Page 10

DEPUTATION TO MAYOR

SUBSCEIPTION LIST OPENED.

A deputation representative of the various Labour organisations of Wellington waited upon the Mayor to-day to ask that he, as Chief Citizen, should make an appeal to the people of Wollingtoii for contributions to assist in relieving distress consequent upon the Dobson mino disaster.

Tho deputation , was introduced by Councillor J. Glover, who said that thoro wiir a general desiro among tho Labour organisations that tho Mayor should open an appeal. Mr. It. Semplo, president of tho Now Zcalund Labour Party, said that the deputation eamo on very sad business, but from timo to tirno such disasters overtook thoir victims. If the Mayor would ngrco to tho roqucst the poople of Wellington, ho felt sure, would, irrespective of class, creed, or colour, show a ready sympathy with the relatives and dependants of tho nino men who had lost their lives. Thero had been four or fivo mining disasters in New Zealand during the last forty years, tho worst of them being tho Huutly disastor, when forty-odd miners lost their lives, and on those occasions the pcoplo of New Zealand had responded magnificently to appeals made. Just sue.h a response would"undoubtedly bo mado to assist tho dependants of tho Dobson mine victims. Thoso who worked literally in tho 'jaws of death from time to timo mado appeals for bottor conditions, but often thoso appeals wero not heard or they wero misunderstood, and it was only when disastor occurred that tho general public realised that, as a general rule, there was justico in most of such appeals. Ho was not, in saying that, discussing the Dobson disaster in particular. Mr. J. Roberts, socretary of the Allianco of Labour, and Mr. ]?. W. Cornwell, president of tho Trades and Labour Council, also spoke, promising that all Labour organistions would assist in every possiblo way. The Mayor, in reply, said that he would immediately open the appeal, and that he was confident that tho people of Wellington would wolcome the opportunity to assist. He know also that the unfortunate people of Dobson and their Labour friends in Wellington would welcome small contributions as they would larger sums, for tho spirit that went with the contribution. He assured the deputation also that tho strictest care "would bfl taken to ensure that the sums contributed were handled in tho best manner, to afford the greatest degree of relief.

Two donations were immediately announced, ono of fifty guineas- from Messrs. J. Ilott und Co., and one of five guineas from Messrs. Ambury and Semple.

Contributions may be addressed oithor to the Mayor or to the City Treasurer, Town Hall.