EARTHQUAKE RELIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20977, 14 September 1931, Page 6

EARTHQUAKE RELIEF.

DISTRIBUTION OF FUND. REPAIRS TO DWELLINGS. -• - ' • . SUM OF £224,468 PAID OUT. £6473 FOR PERSONAL LOSSES. [from our own correspondent.] * p NAPIER, Saturday. Details of the distribution of the earthquake relief fund given by Mr. ty Harvey, chairman of the Napier Committee, indicate that repairs to 6863 houses have accounted for £224,468, while the sum of ££473 has been disbursed i n respect of personal losse^. In regard to applications for loans for repairing dwellings, Mr. Harvey gave the following figures, which refer to applications passed by the committee . Houses. Amount Nigier .. 2,305 £107,709 H.B. County .. 563 22 3°3 Hastings . . . . 1,327 201788 Waipukurau .. 424 P nqj Wairoa . . . . 431 6*,282 5,050 £165,196 in addition to assistance being granted by way of loan from the Napier Relief Committee, a large amount of repair work was effected by the Public Works Department. The total amount of work done by that department amounted to £9362 18s for Napier, £5789 19s 4d for the Hawke's Bay County and £3724 12s for Hastings. Mr. Harvey went on to explain that many residents had forwarded applications for reimbursement, the repair work having been carried out and paid for privately. In this connection he gave the following figures:— Houses. Amount. Napier . . .. 670 £18,406 H.B. County .. 274 7,866 Hastings . . . . 678 10,557 "Waipukurau . . 178 • 3,055 Wairoa . . . 13 509 1813 £40,393 The total number of houses repaired and the amounts involved for the whole of the earthquake area are as under:— Houses. Amount Napier . . .. 2.975 £125,478 H.B. County .. 837 35,979 Hastings .. .. 2,005 45,070 Waipukurau . 602 11,150 Wairoa . . . 444 6,791 6,863 £224,468 It is estimated by the committee from its figures that between 80 and 90 per cent, of the houses in the earthquake district were damaged. Mr. J. H. Edmundson stated that there were many people who had contributed to earthquake relief subscriptions who were wondering what was to become of the money when it was repaid to the Relief Committee by those people who had made use of it by way of loan. He asked - Mr. Harvey if he could throw any light on this matter. Mr. Harvey replied that one of the difficulties of - the committee had been that a great many people had paid the cost of repairing their dwellings out of their own moneys. The Relief Committee realised that some protection should ba given such people, and therefore all the money subscribed had been given out by way of loan until the committee had gone into the whole matter- and could decide what course to adopt. CASES NEEDING ASSISTANCE. EARLY CONSIDERATION PROMISED. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Saturday. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes in an announcement draws attention to the notifications previously made that the matter of provision in cases of necessity for those permanently injured, and for dependants of those killed or injured as the result of the Hawke's Bay earthquake, would be dealt with at an early date. In order that all proper claims may receive attention, Mr. Forbes requests* that all persons who come within the classes referred to, and who have not submitted claims for assistance, should send their applications to the relief committees in the town districts in which they were living at the 'me of the earthquake. LU )TO LOCAL BODIES. SUM OF £39,900 AUTHORISED. Rehabilitation loans totalling £39,900 to five local bodies under the Hawke's Bay Earthquake Act, 1931, are authorised by Orders-in-Council contained in the latest Gazette. The following are particulars : Napier Borough Council.—£2s,ooo, for repairing earthquake damage to municipal abattoir; water, drainage, sanitary and electrical services, tramways, reserves and streets. Hastings Borough Council.—£ll.ooo. for repairing earthquake damage to borough buildings and works, excluding library, N theatre, town clock, band rotunda and storage sheds. * Havelock North Town Board.—£9so, for repairing earthquake damage. Taradale Town Board.—£2loo, for rebuilding rest room, conveniences, memorial and rotunda, offices and library. Waipukurau Borough Council. —£650, for repairing earthquake damage to borough services, excluding the municipal theatre and stage scenery. ' Omarunui Drainage Board.—£2oo, for repairing earthquake damage to the board's drains. The Napier and Hastings loans are ,to have a term not exceeding 25 years, Taradale 30 years and Havelock Ivorth and Waipukurau 20 years. All are to be in-terest-free for the first five years, but provision must be made for paying them off by half-yearly instalments within the terms stated. The rate of interest i 6 not to exceed 4 per cent, per annum.