RAIN AND SNOW ADD TO MISERY ON WEST COAST

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6948, 29 June 1929, Page 9

RAIN AND SNOW ADD TO MISERY ON WEST COAST

Severe ’Quakes at Westport

Greymouth’s Funds tor Urgent Needs Exhausted

Prime Minister Details ’Quake Relief Measures CRITICISM ANSWERED. CENTRAL ORGANISATION FOR CONTROL OP FUNDS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Sir Joseph Ward made his promised statement on tho subject of the earthquake in the House to-day. He said ho had. convened a meeting that morning to form a central organisation, as formerly outlined. “It had been arranged to have approximate details sent to the committee relating to damage to private property, and assistance required . It had also been decided that representatives of the Public Works, Lands and Public Trust departments should bo associated with "the committee's work."

In replying to criticism of the government’s actions in connection with the earthquake, tho Prime Minister said ho had read statements that the government had not taken immediate steps to relieve the position. _Ho then detailed efforts made in obtaining shelter for refugees, restoring communication and providing immediate equipment and necessities for sufferers. Special trains had been provided at all hours of the day and night and a boat had been sent to Westport to take aboard any who wished to leave, and he had wired to tho centres of tho areas affected for details of immediate restoration required. As soon.as these reports reached him, some estimate of the amount required -could be made. Ho was pleased to note the ready response on the paTt of the public to tho request for funds. In'referring to the suggestion that the government should subsidise from revenuo amounts collected, he said the replacement of government property in affected districts would in no way be made a charge on public contributions. A subsidy of pound per pound would bo a small matter compared with the expense the government would incur in that way. The whole of tho moneys at present subscribed and held in public account amounted to £5331..

Missing Prospector Discovered at Lyell , UNABLE TO GET OUT. SUOW FALLS ALL DAY IN eeefton. REEFTON, Last Night. A search party found the man, Tim Evan, who has been missing since the earthquake on June 17, ( at Lyell creek. Ho was slightly injured and unable to get out himself. He was brought to Beefton this afternoon. Snow fell all day here and the weather is bitterly cold. The 'quakes have been fewer to-day than for the last days and also less severe.

Central Committee

•ALONE WILL HAVE POWER TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS.

WELLINGTON, Last. Night. Arrangements for distributing TC-lief in the earthquake areas were considered this morning at a meeting of the central organisation controlling the TClief funds. Sir Joseph Ward presided and stated subsequently it was resolved there should be one control organisation with executive powers and the Mayors of the four centres would, be members, also members of the districts affected by the earthquake would be on tho committee, as well as tho Public Trustee, • Controller and AuditorGeneral, the Secretary of the Treasury, under-Secretary of Public Works and Under-Secretary of Lands, five to be a quorum. • , District committees will receive and examine all local applications for relief and restoration of damage and forward applications to tho central committee, which alone will. have power to make financial contributions.

Rangiwahia Gets Busy COMMITTEE TO CANVASS DISTRICT. At a mooting held in Rangiwahia last evening, to arrange for assistance for sufferers by the earthquake a strong committee was set up to canvass tho district for funds. Over £25 was subscribed in the room. Mr. A. C. Norton occupied the chair..

Field Marshal Birdwood Conveys Sympathy

WELLINGTON, Last Night. „ Tho Governor-General has received the following message from FieldMarshal Sir William Birdwood, Com-ijiandcx-in-Chief of the Military Forces of India: “I have been greatly distressed to hear of the severe earthquake) recently experienced in the -South Island. I shall be grateful if xou will express my deepest sympathy to all concea'iied. 1 '

A Recrudescence of ’Quakes at Westport THREE SEVERE ONES. WESTPORT, Last Night. The day was a very quiet one. but tonight tho ’quakes got going again, with particularly severe ones at 6.55, 7.20 and 9.35 p.m. The damaged aeroplane, which was turned right over with the wheels up by the tornado last night, has been removed from the beach to the drill shed and will be dismantled for transfer to Christchurch for repairs. Gift Parcels Will Be Conveyed Free IF ADDRESSED TO ORGANISATION. WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Postmaster-General (Hon. J. B. Donald) announces that the Post Office will carry free of postage parcels containing gift articles of clothing intended for the relief of earthquake sufferers, provided that the parcel? are addressed to a relief organisation. Dunedin’s Total of £3850 DUNEDIN, Last Night. The total collected in Dunedin on behalf of the earthquake fund up to this evening amounts to £3850. £11,500 Raised in Auckland

V AUCKLAND, Last Night. Donations in Auckland towards tho earthquake relief fund now total over £11,500. The New Zealand Herald’s list stands at £5957, the Mayor’s list at £3939, and various suburban boroughs’ lists at £268. Greymouth’s Immediate Resources Exhausted URGENT, NEEDS UNSATISFIED. GBEYMOUTH, Last Night. An earthquake at 6.45 p.m. was milder here than those of previous nights. Tho local relief committee has now exhausted its funds in meeting only a section of tho most necessitous cases where people, await tho restoration of but one chimney to enable cooking to bo done. The committee decided to-night to ask the central relief fund for authority immediately to advance £SOO for remaining cases of urgency. Over 200 applications for relief have reached the committee. The weather is extremely wintry, with hail and thunderstorms and snow reaching to the lower ranges. Earthquake Relief Fund £333 RECEIVED.

The relief fund instituted by the Mayor (Mr. A. J. Graham) for earthquake sufferers now totals £323 4s. Further contributions are:—

“ N " has also donated £1 to the Unemployment Fund and “ Uncle Alf ” 10s.

£ s d Previously acknowledged . . 198 19 6 Hodder and Tolley .. .. . 0 0 A. Sutherland . 20 0 0 Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Young . . 10 10 0 Cosmopolitan Club 10 0 Manawatu Meat Coy. .. . . 5 0 0 C. J. Adams .. .. .. .. • 0 0 Mrs. M. McGregor . 5 0 0 Mrs. and Mr. H. Doreen . . b 0 0 Goldfinch and Cousins .. . . 3 3 0 E. Grant Sim 2 2 0 Mr. O 2 0 o 2 0 “J.C.” . 2 0 0 Miss Pitt . 1 1 0 Hokowhitu Stores .. .. . 1 0 A. A. C. Davies .. .. .. , 1 0 “ N.” 0 0 T. Carncll .. .. . 1 0 0 Anonymous . 1 0 0 A. G. Gust . 0 0 Sympathiser , 1 0 0 Anonymous .. . 1 0 0 Anonymous .. . 10 0 “ Uncle Alf” 10 0 W. Ingram . 10 0 G. AY. Haslam .. .. . 10 0 “ M.” 10 0, “M.H. 273 ” .. .. .. . 10 0 Anonymous .. >. .. .. . 2 0 Total 6