LARGELY REDUCED

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 35, 11 February 1931, Page 10

LARGELY REDUCED

RECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY

SEARCH FOR SAFES

(By "The Post's" Special Reporter.) NAPIER, This Day. Nelson Park is now the ono big relief camp in Napier and Hastings, and its population, which was as high as 2300 last Thursday night, dropped last night to about 900. The fourteen hundred difference is accounted for by the great exodus which took place -on Friday and over tho week-end, and to some extent by residents returning to their homes. There are indications that tho camp population may remain at about the present level, and from certain points of view that outlook is not good. It is certain that the camp management cannot continue on the free and easy basis on which it has been conducted up till now, not that splendid efforts have not been made by the Defence officers and their willing helpers, but simply that so large a camp cannot continue except on much more strict lines than civilians are accustomed to. From the sanitation aspect alone a civilian camp of such proportions is exceedingly difficult to maintain in a healthy condition,* and it is doubtful whether the tents can remain in their present location for a much loDger time. A PERMANENT CAMP. There is talk of the establishment of a pcrnienant camp of v type it was not possible to lay down in the rush of Tuesday and" Wednesday of last week, and it is said it will make provision for single men and married men and their families, with separate messrooms, tho whole to be laid out upon a plan admitting of complete supervision. Meanwhile hundreds of homes stand empty, the womenfolk being as far south as Christchurch and Dunedin, and the men under canvas at Nelson Park. Whether a permanent camp will become necessary will depend very largely upon the time which elapses before the opening of suburban shops. At present it is extremely difficult to purchase, anything in Hastings, where; stocks were damaged by falling buildings but not completely lost by fire. A few shops are^open, but in Napier money is of litno immediate use. Food can. be had at a number of depots in a sufficient quantity, but anyone who sets out to purchase his requirements may have a long search. A very considerable number of men is now employed in clearing up the wreckage in the two town areas, road and traffic patrol, and private • work about homes, and to-morrow some substantial reconstruction works will be commenced1. All these workers will be in receipt of wages ranging upwards from 8s per day, yet the means by which this money, amounting to a substantial sum in the aggregate, can be put into circulation are at present entirely lacking. In the opinion of those who have given the matter fullest consideration, the provision of free accommodation and supplies, though temporarily essential, will not -be to the advantage of either the people or the district if it is long maintained. Some people maintain' that every abWbodicd man at present in camp should turn to and do his share of tho mountain of reconditioning work. It is not suggested that the spirit of the camp is not high. The great majority of the men arc anxious to turn to, and tho splendid clearance of the burned and wrecked areas from tho point where tho Naval men left this heavy toil is proof of the willing work done, but considerable numbers of men other than residents of the two towns have yesterday and to-day applied for registration, for accommodation, and for meals. In the continual coming and going a cheek is well nigh impossible. RECOVERY OF VALUABLES. Immediately following the earthquake the head office of one of the largest manufacturers of safes_ and strong rooms cabled' to his Wellington representatives from London offering all possiblo assistance to Napier and Hastings banks and business premises, both by tho loan of safes and attention to those in the wrecked and fire-swept area. Since Thursday the firm's representatives, assisted by two experts from Wellington, have been working quietly but very effectively in both towns, naturally the bank officials arc reticent upon tho matter, but it- is understood that sums recovered from safes in various offices amount to between £80,000 and £100,000, apart from amounts from safes in private businesses. The contents of those strong rooms which were closed when the fire swept across Napier were found largely intact, but from others only charred papers and coins wore recovered. In such cases tho contents of the safes were put through coarse sieves, coins and indestructible valuables only being recovered. The greater part of the money recovered from the bank premises, it is understood, was immediately transferred to Vfellington, a part was distributed among the banks of Dannevirke and other Ha'wkes Bay centres, to be returned to Napier and Hastings on the opening of the Associated Banks' temporary offices. Searches of the ashes from jewellers' premises in fie Napier fire area are being carried out, but the likelihood of retrieving much from the displayed stock is extremely small. RIGID PICKETING. Sightseers will find the road to Hawkes Bay still made difficult by ofiieials and patrolmen demanding passes, and those who have not genuine business to transact will save time and money by Staying at homo. -Hastings is still rigidly picketed, and none by officials and workers may enter the wrecked shopping area. Tho naval picketing of Napier will cease to-morrow on the departure of tho Diomede and Dunedin, but adequate steps have been taken for replacing the naval men by police and civilian patrols. The town has been divided up into a number of blocks. Bach block is under the supervision of a Defence N.C.O. or police officer day and night, special road patrols, bridge guards, and traffic directors arc still on duty, but their need is becoming less, as the volume of traffic has greatly cased and dangerous spots in roads have been attended to. Quite a number of lorries carrying furniture are running from both Hastings and Napier, but actually the percentage of the population which has packed up and decided to quit for all time is very small.