THE PONSONBY FIRE FUND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14708, 16 June 1911, Page 6

THE PONSONBY FIRE FUND.

THE FINAL DISTRIBUTION.

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS.

The final disposal of tho funds contributed ' by tho public of Auckland towards the re- ; lief of tho Portcous and Mountifield ; families, who suffered by tho fatal fire in j Ponsonby Road, on February 16 last, has been delayed through various causes, but is likely to be made within the next few days. Interviewed yesterday by a Herald ] preventative regarding the fund, Mr. R. A. Armstrong, lion, secretary to the Gen- ! oral Management Committee, stated that the matter was now in tho hands of the ( city treasurer (Mr. Brigham), who was I acting for the trustees (Messrs. A, M. Myers, M.P., and the. Mayor, Mr. C. J. ! Parr), to whom (he committee handed over I the amount in their possession on May 29 j last. The sum banked by them amounted ' to £955 lis 10d, as set forth in the follow- j ing statement, and subject, to debits and i accounts totalling £15 4.s Gd duly passed | for payment. ] £ a. d. I Subscriptions at ladies' committee ... 5 17 0 | Street collection 257 '/. 9 j Subscription lists ■ 24 ii i j Subscription lists (including Waterside i Workers £6 1J?) 9 14 0 Subscription lists 20 0 C '

Theatre matinee 3C6 'J 6 i Subscription lists (including Cambridge j Band £0 Oa 6ii, liotorua fire Uriffiulo £5 6a 2d) ... 23 14 3 ! Garrison Band performance 17 8 4 Subncj'iption list* 141 2 1 Marainarua social 7 7 b ', Licensed victuallers £32 1«, Mrs. Crundon £1 103 33 11 0 j Subscription lis-ts (including Onetatmjra town clerk's list, £7 3s M) 7 14 0 C. Pepper, Kotoru* 1 12 0 i Mrs. Kay, Jfgaruawahia 14 10 0 ! Subscription lifts , 1. i,'; 1 ! Subscription lists 1. 0 6 1 Onehuuga benefit matinee 34 14 9 j Auckland Bugby Union 10 10 0 ! Anonymous „, ... ] 2 0 | 250 11 10 | Less expenses , ... 15 4 6 j Total 940 7 4 The General Management Committee, Mr. Armstrong stated, were ready to settle up at the end of April. But the Ponsonby subscription list sub-commit tec (Messrs. Newcombe, Hunt, Andrews, and Nicholson) had experienced some difficulty in getting their lists in and their accounts squared up. This was the sole cause of the delay. The amount collected by the Ponsonby committee was £412 7s Bd, from which they had disbursed £41 5s mainly in administering temporary relief. They had handed a cheque for the balance, £371 2s Bd, to the city treasurer. This amount is subject to a reduction of about £5 for some further disbursements, and Mr. Brigham had informed him that day that he was only waiting for particulars of this deduction to make a final settlement of the whole matter.

The total sum for allocation, continued Mr. Armstrong, is about £1305, out of which will come £350, earmarked to tho Porteous family by the Ponsonby committee from the amount collected by them. The balance, about £955, will be divided in the terms of the following resolution passed by tho committee as a recommedation to the trustees : — "That the balance of the fund after deducting £350 earmarked to the Porteous family by the Ponsonby committee be allocated as follows: One-fourth each to be handed to Charles Porteous, Edith Porteous, Herbert Mountifield and Ruth Mountifield." A further recommendation was also made: " That £50 of tho said £350 ear-marked to the Porteous family, be set aside and held in trust for tho son, Charles Porteous, until he reaches 21 years of age."