RESTORATION OF RHEIMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18324, 14 February 1923, Page 11

RESTORATION OF RHEIMS.

CO-OPERATIVE EFFORTS. ' ' REBUILDING AND REPAIRS. There is every prospect that the city of Rheims, in view of the rapid progress that is now being made, will be reconstituted within from four to five years, says the Paris correspondent of a London paper., , ' • ' ■". ':/'./-.,: ' ' The Marquis do Polignac, at the annual meeting of the Co-operative Society formed for the purpose of reconstructing the city, stated that" during tho present year 1500 houses partially destroyed during the war have been repaired, while the construction of l 600 new buildings has been undertaken. The works , carried out under ' the Co-operative Society during 1822 represent a total value of 90 million francs, the total value of the reconstruction work accomplished to date being 160 million francs. Much of this result has been due to the raising of a loan of 60,000,000 franca. ■ ■ , ,"' There is reason to fear, however, that less satisfactory progress will be made in. the s immediate future, owing to the grave financial difficulties of Franco resulting from the - continued failure of Germany to - carry out her obligations. The cooperators have'so far filled the ' post of 'bankers to the State in the hope that the Government, would; soon be able to reimburse them for the money they have expended; but the outlook at present is not very. rosy. '~. ..;;-..'.-',; wv'" .:}■:. ■ M. Rgibel, Minister for the Liberated Regions, insisted that the sufferers from war losses might rest assured that.; the \? 000,000,000 francs estimated for as required tor expenditure on the devastated area during 1922 would be found by the Government. The first part of the money yoted must be allocated m any case to building purposes. The Minister added that the Rheims Co-operative Society had succeeded admirably in its work, which, he said,'?had exceeded. hopes. - •