EARTHQUAKE LOANS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 236, 18 September 1934, Page 4

EARTHQUAKE LOANS

Difficulties Discussed QUESTION OF REMISSION Meeting Held in Napier At a very largely attended public meeting held tn Napier last evening, various aspects of the difficulties facing business people wh» are in debt to the Government la respect of earthquake rehabllit> tlon loans was discussed, and * large number of those present demonstrated the position created bp the Government’s attitude. The meeting was held in committee, and a statement drawn up by a committee was afterwards handed to the press. Mr. C. O. Morse, Mayor of Napier, acted as chairman, and associated with him were Messrs. W. E. Barnard, M.P. for Napier, and H. M. Campbell, M.P. for Hawke’s Bay. Mr. A. E. Jull, the member for Waipawa, was unable to be present. Mr Morse said it should' be made clear that the meeting was not one at indignation, nor a meeting against the central Government. He believed there might bo among those present some who desired to give explanations of their personal negotiations with 'the Treasury, in which case the meeting should go into committee and subsequently have a statement banded to the press. Mr P. W. Peters then moved to 'that end, and said he felt that nothing should be publicly stated which might jeopardise any of the rehabilitated people in the province. One paper at Palmerston North had given prominence to an allegation that Napier was bankrupt, for example, a statement that was greatly detrimental to the cause for which the meeting was called. Mr H. R. J. Dockery seconded the motion, which was carried. The Press representatives then retired. At the elose of the meeting the following statement was handed to the Press:—“At the request of the chairman, Mr C. 0. Morse, one speaker outlined to the meeting the work which had already been done by the committee appointed some months ago to approach the Minister of Finance on behalf of the rehabilitated business people of Hawke’s Bay.

“The petitions which had been prepared by the committee were then read to the meeting, and after a brief discussion a resolution was carried unanimously approving the steps already taken by the committee, adding that the petitions, as prepared, should be completed forthwith and presented for the consideration of Parliament.

“It was agreed that the petition for the Hawke ’a" Bay district should be entrusted to Mr H. M. Campbell, member for Hawke’s Bay, and that the petition for Napier should be entrusted to Mr W. E. Barnard, member for Napier.

“In the course of the discussion upon the petitions one speaker voiced tho feeling of the meeting when he stated that the chief thing to do was to educate the public of New Zealand so that they might realise exactly what had been done for the district by the Government in the way of rehabilitation.

“He stated that in his opinion people outside Hawke’s Bay were not aware of what actually happened. Did they know, he asked, that the Government took the fullest security for practically all the monfy lent! Did they ’know that the mortgage to the Government took precedence over all pro-earthquake mortgages? Had they stopped to consider what was to happen to rehabilitated people when their pre earthquake mortgagees tried to collect their principal and interest? Did they know how little money had been made a free gift and how much was lent on security covering all the available assets of the unfortunate earthquake sufferer? ”