RELIEF FUNDS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 70, 24 March 1931, Page 10

RELIEF FUNDS

FULLY SAFEGUARDED

CHECK IN HASTINGS

There need be- no fear, as there appears to be in the. minds of the class of person who delights in playing the role-of destructive critic, that the relief funds.are being wasted in Hastings, says; the "Hawkes Bay Tribune." ' * : . . ' ■ . Last week the committee paid out £9400 in settlement or partial settlement oij accounts incurred through the commandeering of stocks for emergency .purposes. That payment was the first of several that it is likely the committee will' have to make, but neither in that payment, nor in any that is likely to ensue, has been, nor will be, included any claim that has not been thoroughly .investigated. Any business man having a claim against the /committee has first to issue a statement of tho amount that he considers to bo owing to him. The account is examined item by item by two local accountants with a working knowledge of' the claimant's business circumstances and a very full knowledge of local prices and trading conditions. ■: Tho account is correlated with tho claimant's own invoices and stock-sheets and with tables of market prices of the goods in respect of which the claim is made. The claim account is then submitted to'the committee and is again examined from the point of view of the commercial man, tho lawyer, the civic authorities, and the Central Kelief Committee a,s represented by the local District Public Trustee. The committee's whole aim is to adjust as nicely as possible the scales of financial justice, between the claimant and the contributors to the funds, and though no spirit of meanness nor of bargain-driving is admitted, no possibility of exploitation can enter into the matter.- v : . ■ ■ '-■ ' The "Tribune" states that only in the rarest instances have there been any attempts to impose upon the committee, and they did not succeed. . "It may be said of the committee that anvimposter would find it'extremely difficult to deal, with. A bona fide claimant need have no fear that he will receive anything but the fairest treatment, and those who have given money to the relief funds may feel equally confident, that their interests are being protected. , . ' ' . Clothing, blankets, and.similar goods are being distributed under the direction of the Hastings District Nursing Association,' the Plunkct Society, the Women's.lnstitute, the Women's Division of tho Farmers' Union (the two last-named . organisations have a special knowledge of distress in the country districts), and other women's organisations. '•; ~ '■: