QUAKE RELIEF

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 90, 31 March 1932, Page 8

QUAKE RELIEF

FUNDS DISBURSED HASTINGS COMMITTEE’S WORK COMPLETED EXCELLENT RESULTS ACHIEVED. INTERESTIN'" OFFICIAL STATEMENT. The work of administering the Hawke's Bay Relief. Fund is now drawing to a close, and at the last meeting of the Hastings Committee, held last week, it was decided that the time had now arrived when the committee migat disband. There are, of course, many relatively unimportant matters to bo finally dealt with, and a small executive committee was set up to attend to such matters. The time, therefore, seems opportune to set out in brief some facts concerning the fund which, with luterest amounting to £9461 added by the i'ublic Trustee, amounted to £402,367. We arc indebted to the District Public Trustee, Mr C. A Hendry, for the facts and figures herein given. It will be remembered that immediately the disaster occurred subscription lists for the relief of sufferers in the uevastated area were everywhere set up, and the fund rapidly grew to the very large sum mentioned above. A central committee was immediately set up by the Government in Wellington, of which the Bt. Hon. the Prime Minister was chairman, and the Public Trustee the executive officer. Tuc Public Trustee had already announced tnat the services of his departmnt would be available, free of any cost, to administer the fund. He also undertook to add interest to the moneys from time to time in his hands, not at the rate usually given for moneys “at call" but at the rate earned by moneys held on trust for fixed periods, which at the time was 5| per cent. LOCAL COMMITTEE SET UP. Owing to the necessity for the innumerable problems confronting the Earthquake Belief Committee to be handled on the spot, local committees were appointed by the Central Committee for each district affected by the disaster. Five such committees were set up, the districts concerned being Napier and Taradaie, Hastings and Havelock North, Wairoa, Southern Hawke’s Bay, and the Hawke’s Bay County. The committee selected for Hastings and Havelock North consisted of the Mayor of Hastings (Mr ft R. Roach, chairman), Messrs C. H. Slater, G. A. Maddison, H. M. Campbell, M.P., H. Holderness, J. 8. McLeod, W, H. Anderson, and the District Public Trustee (Mr C. A. Hendry). At the first meeting Messrs Roach and Hendry were appointed chairman and honorary secretary respectively, which offices they have held throughout. INVESTIGATION OP CLAIMS. One of the first and most important duties of the Hastings Committee was the investigation and payment of claims for food, clothing, and other goods commandeered and purchased for the purpose of supplying the needs of the population in the period immediately following the earthquake. The total amount of such claims was £26,764 and the work of investigating them was one of considerable magnitude and difficulty. Simultaneously with the work of investigating these claims, the committee undertook the tremendous task of superintending and of paying for the repairs to all dwellings in the area controlled by it. In many hundreds of cases, residents were quite unable to provide sufficient money themselves to have their repairs effected, and in these cases they were invited to submit an estimate of the cost made by any tradesman or tradesmen they might select. These estimates were examined by a building inspetor, and on receipt of his report the committee approved of the work going forward Then, in order to protect the owner, and to guard against the fund being called upon to pay for repairs not caused by the earthquake, the work was again examined before payment was made by the Public Trust Office at the direction of the committee. In a great number of cases owners of houses had had their own repairs completed, but had been unable to pay the cost involved. These people submitted the accounts to the committee., and after the repairs had been inspected payment of the outstanding accounts was made. Later, as soon as it was found that funds would permit, all owners who desired, were reimbursed the cost of repairs effected and paid for by themselves. HOUSES REPAIRED. ed by a building inspector, and on rethe expense of the fund in Hastings and Havelock North (excluding houses owned by Maoris) was 2294, ana the cost was £45,380. No part of this sum is to be recovered from the owners concerned. For some time past the activities of the various committees have been directed towards the investigation of claims for allowances, permanent or otherwise, by persons injured by the earthquake, and of the dependants of those killed or permanently injured. This has been a work of very great magnitude owing to the necessity of minutely investigating every application received in order to ensure that all applicants would have set aside for them sums, so far as the fund would allow, commensurate with their need. When these investigations had been completed the facts were submitted to an actuary who decided that a sum of approximately £43,000 would be required to provide the allowances recommended. GRANTS MADE. Straight-out grants of varying amounts have been made in many cases

to persons who have suffered injuries which in the ordinary course of events, will not cause permanent disability, in many other cases definite sums have been set aside to be used lor the maintenance and benefit of the persons concerned, at the discretion of the Public Trustee. In the majority of cases of dependants of persons killed, however, the central committee stipulated that a definite sum per week should be paid to the dependant concerned during his or her lifetime. The maximum amount in the case of au adult was fixed at 22/6 per week and 15/- per week for each child under the age of 16 years. In the case of a spinster the weekly payment will cease on her marriage, and in the case of a widow, on her remarriage. Payments for children cease on their attaining the age of 16 years: If it should so happen that the dependant who has been granted an allowance should possess assets of a considerable value, the allowance granted is reduced by an annual sum equal to 5 per cent, of the value of such assets. No deduction is, however, made by reason of the possession of a family home, furniture, small balances, life policies, etc. In the event of a widow receiving a widow’s pension, the allowance granted out of tho fund is subject to a deduction of the amount of such pension. No deduction is, however, made owing to the receipt of an old age pension. It should be pointed out that the payments, which will be made by way of the allowances mentioned above, have been calculated in such a manner that both the capital and tho income of the fund of £43,000 will be utilised. The result will therefore be that when the time comes when there will no longer be any need for provision to be made, the fund will have ceased to exist. Until this occurs the fund will be administered by the Public Trustee at his various branches' throughout the Dominion free of any charge whatever.

TRIBUTE TO COMMITTEE’S WORK. At the final meeting of the Central Committee held in Wellington recently the committee placed on record its appreciation of the splendid work of the local committees in the various districts of the devastated area. The administration of the fund had proceeded in a very satisfactory mannet and there had been an almost entire absence of complaint. It was agreed that the excellent results achieved had been largely due to the untiring efforts of the local committees and to their close co-operation with the Central Committee. It was felt that the thanks and gratitude of the people, not only of the devastated area but of the whole of New Zealand are due to the members of the local committees for their painstaking work. More especially is this the case when it is realised that the whole of the committees’ services have been rendered in an honorary capacity. At this meeting of the Central com mittee also, several members expressed their sincere appreciation of the manner in which the Public Trustee and his officers have carried out the work of administering the fund. The Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister in endorsing the remarks made by these members said ho felt very pleased indeed to know how well the administration of the fund had been conducted. It had, he said, been handled with judgment and tact and he had no doubt that this fine result was due to the very excellent organisation that had been brought about by the Public Trustee and his officers who were entitled to the greatest credit for performing expeditiously and well one of the most difficult tasks that anyone could have undertaken.