The Hastings Standard Published Daily THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1897. THE FLOOD RELIEF FUND.

Hastings Standard, Issue 303, 22 April 1897, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1897. THE FLOOD RELIEF FUND.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

It is very evident that the well-springs of charity always bubbling over in this disirict will be quite inadequate to meet the great demand occasioned by the enormous losses sustained by hundreds of people throughout Hawke's Bay by the disastrous Easter floods. In this dire condition we are obliged to look to the rest of the colony for the needful assistance, and we venture to say that we shall not look in vain. The generosity of the people of New Zealand has become proverbial. Let the people but feel that their help is needed, and their generous offerings assume a colossal scale. Let us glance back at the record of charity in New Zealand. When Greymouth was almost swept away in 1872, handsome donations were sent from almost every part of the colony. In 1878 a national appeal was made for the widows and children of the men killed in the Kaitangata colliery disaster. If our memory serves us aright close upon £83,000 was subscribed by New Zealanders on that occasion. When Brisbane suffered severely, how nobly did this colony respond to the appeals from the sister colony '? The rivalry between the districts to be foremost in rendering a helping hand will not be readily forgotten, and the sum total of the money remitted to Queensland was comparatively large. hen the wreck of the ill-fated steamer Wairarapa caused an appeal to be made to the people for succor for the distressed the response was prompt and generous. So again, there was a noble response to the appeals on behalf of the widows and orphans of those sturdy miners who met an untimely death in the Brunner mine. Unquestionably the people of NewZealand are of a charitable disposition. and their charitable actions of a national character stand out clear and distinct. Gessuer says " The mild splendours of the rising sun, the mddy glowing tints of evening, the moon's calm radiance in a serene night —all these swell our bosoms with pleasure: but sweeter, still sweeter, is the recollection of a benevolent deed." That sweet pleasure has been experienced by the people of New Zealand again and again by noble deeds of benevolence, and once again there is an appeal to them. And who dare say that the response will not be up to the well-earned reputation '? Steps, we are glad to observe, are already Wing taken in various centres to render The Mayor -of Wellington has called a meeting of citizens for to-morrow, and from the Empire City we may expect a full measure of support. ladee4 the mere

knowledge that there would be distress ill this locality has already drawn handsome donations from Mr Martin Kennedy and many others. Their example will, we hope, be followed by the many wealthy people of Wellington, and may the generosity of the Empire City serve as a beacon for the other large centres. We can assure our friends outside that the loss in this district, though beyond estimate just now, will be found to be very great when inquiries are made, and we shall need all the assistance we can get to relieve the distress. Fortunately the large expenditure of public money in effecting repairs to railways, bridges, roads, &c., will be of some material help 111 providing work, but it will take thousands of pounds to make good in part the enormous losses sustained by hundreds of deserving people by the recent floods.