RELIEVING DISTRESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18396, 11 May 1923, Page 8

RELIEVING DISTRESS.

SLEEPING IN WET BEDS.

THREAT OF PNEUMONIA.

(FARMERS LOSE EVERYTHING.

[BY TELEGRATH. — CORRESPONDENT.]

BLENHEIM, Thursday. Referring at to-night's meeting of the Blenheim Borough Council to the distress likely to arise as a consequence of the floods, the Mayor, Mr. Parker, said the district had been through some difficult times, but nothing had ever caused the havoc created bv the floods this week. He had paid a'visit to the vicinity of Whittles' Bend and he found that some of the settlers there had lost everything on their farms. They were also likely to lose their farms, too, for the farms would very possibly be river-Beds. This had happened before in other parts of the district. Though still covered with water, the loss was onlv of a temporary nature in Blenheim itself. Individuals had not lost a great deal, but what they had lost meant more to them than big losses to those better able to afford it. Ho had opened a relief fund and subscriptions were coming in well. The Mayor mentioned that he knew of cases where people.were sleeping in wet beds and in wet blankets, and said that if something were not done they would have these people in the hospital. He also mentioned a case in which a family had sheltered under the Opawa Bridge all night. Mr. Adams urged that something should be done to induce people to use the halls which have been offered for sleeping purposes and to provide them with dry blankets and bedding. He feared that if time were wasted in setting up committees people would be dead with pneumonia. After further discussion, the matter of organising a committee to administer the relief fundi «nd look after necessitous cakes was left in the hands of the Mayor.

It was stated that there would be a great deal of unemployment. Tho position was not acute yet. The council decided to authorise works for the unemployed. The council has received a .telegram from the Governor-General, Lord Jellicoe, expressing sympathy with the sufferers through the flood.

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE.

FINANCE FOR SETTLERS.

ADVANCES AT CHEAP RATES.

fBT TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Thursday.

The Prime Minister states that Cabinet has decided to assist settlers who had suffered serious locs during the recent floods, and who may require a certain amount of cash, in order to carry on their farms. Details have not yet been worked out, but the intention is to follow the procedure adopted in the case of bush fires some years ago at Raetihi and Ohakune. where monetary , advances were made to settlers at a comparatively low 1 , rate of interest.

In the present case the rate of interest for advances will be 5 per cent. Applications for assistance will be received by the Superintendent of State Advances Department.

PERSONAL INSPECTION.

PUBLIC WORKS MINISTER.

ASCERTAINING REQUIREMENTS

fBT TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON. Thursday.

The Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister for Public Works, was to have left Wellington to-day for Blenheim to visit the flooded areas and judge for himself what can best be done to prevent or minimise flood damage in the future. The Minister has, however, received a telegram from Mr. W. J. Girling, M.P., for Wairau, asking him to postpone the trip until next week, when it is hoped the flood water . will have subsided sufficiently to enable Mr. Coates to get about the district more readily and form a better idea of what needs to be done.

DRIVEN ON TO THE ROOF.

FAMILY'S TERRIBLE ORDEAL.

MOTHER AND BABY SUFFER.

fKT TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] BLENHEIM, Thursday. In the Lower Wairau district, Mr. Saunders'and family had a most trying, experience in their home, which is near the bank of the Wairau River. The water rose to an immense height, and they had to take refuge in the roof, and were compelled finally to cut the roof open with an axe. The house was a fairly old one, and the great pressure of water made it literally rock.. But for the fact that a big macrocarpa hedge broke the current to a certain extent, Mr. Saunders declares the place would have been carried out to sea. The family was rescued yesterday after being without food for some \ time. Mrs. Saunders and a baby aged four months felt the strain of the experience greatly.

ON A SWIMMING HORSE.

PLUCK OF OCTOGENARIAN.

RIDES IN FLOOD TO SAFETY

[by TELEGRAPH. —OWN correspondent.]

BLENHEIM. Thursday. Among the exciting and remarkable rescues "" effected at Springlands during the height of the flood on Monday is that of an old lady of 84 years. Mrs. Blackstock, who was rescued from Mr. J. Young's house by means of a swimming horse. It was a remarkable experience for such an elderly lady, but it was equalled by the rescue of Mrs. Oennens, who was ill in bed, and who was also brought out of the flood on a swimming horse.

CURIOUS EFFECT IN GARAGE

FLOOR BUCKLED BY WATER.

PRECAUTIONS IN VAIN.

[bt telegraph.—own

CORRESPONDENT.]

BLENHEIM. Thursday. In the borouch one of the most curious effects of the flood is in evidence lit a garage in Queen Street, where the flood has had the effect of badly warping the huge wooden floor. In the southern section of the building the floor is now elevated nt least a foot on one side and undulates in all directions like the '.raves of a sea. All the turn-tables are out of gear, and it will be a costly job to get the floor repaired. The garage suffered very heavily as a result of the flood, being mvaded* to a depth of 3ft. 6in. All the cars in the building were removed into the workshop at the rear, which is about 2ft. above the level of the main garage, but, notwithstanding this, the water flowed in and the engines of most of the cars are affected. When the handsome buildings of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association were erected in Queen Street a few years ago, special pains were taken to raise the ground floor above the level of previous floods, but Monday's flood upset all the careful calculations, and the whole of the cround floor was covered to a depth of 9in., with disastrous effects to stocks of perishable goods. The firm's windows were deep in water, and a large quantity of goods perished.