WEST COAST FUND

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

WEST COAST FUND

CLAIMS STILL TO BE MET

Tlic position of the West Coast earthquake fund and the attitude taken.up by the relief committees in the district were outlined by Mr. G. C. Black, M.P. for Motueka, in a statement to a "Post" representative to-day. Mr. Black said that after the earthquake the peoplo of New Zealand subscribed £147,710 in relief funds, and to this could be added £12 16s received j in interest from the Treasury, £4941 7s received in interest from the Public Trustee, and £21 19s 7d in credits and reductions of expenditure, making a total of £152,686 14s 7d. The expenditure from the fund to date had been £129,294, but there were still a number of claims to, be considered by the executive. These'would take about £4400 to meet, and on top of this there were unexpended commitments totalling £3900. Although the earthquake happened in June, 1929, there were settlers in the mid-Maruia district whose access had not yet been restored, and they were still receiving allowances. It was estimated that £5000 would be required to meet the total claims in this direction.- Further claims had been made by churches and other institutions, and these had not yet been dealt with. Added to this there were certain other problems which would have to be considered. They had to do the right thing, for instance, in the case of the Corbyvale and other settlers -who had been receiving payment for loss of access'and who had found, when the highways had been reopened, that their farms had deteriorated. Without assistance these farmers would not ;bo in a position to restore their property, cut scrub, and otherwise improve their holdings.' The settlers at Arapito rightly had a claim! on the fund as a result of the silting up of the Gordon Creek. .'! "In regard to the proposal to transfer the balance of the West Coast fund to the Hawkes Bay fund," said Mr. Black, "I have been in communication with the local committees at Murchisqn, Reefton, and Karamea, and the view these committees take is that further claims which have been forwarded by them to the central committee should be dealt with first. The transferring' of the balance in the West Coast fund would be an alteration in the purposes of the trust, and would, I take it, require legislative author--I\r Black said that the people of. the Motueka electorate were doing everything possible to assist the people of Hawkes Bay,, and he had been advised that in addition to what had already been sent from Karamea there would be a further shipment of butter.