THE BRUNNER DISASTER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 38

THE BRUNNER DISASTER.

Tin following additional subscriptions have been received to the Citizens’Fund F. .Stevens, collection Cambridge terrace, £2 Its; Williams and Beotham, JJIU; Kirkcaldie and Hill, further collections —staff Bank of New South Wales, 10s ; Friend, 10s; J. S., 10s; staff Bank of New South Wales, 10s; A. 'l'. Bate, AM 1; Penty and Fordo, £2 ; J. Hannah, AM 5s ; smaller amounts, 10s (id—All os (id; W. B. 11., Al llr, (id; collected by Mr Fleming, £2 Its lid; collected by Miss Ilustwick, £2 (is (id; C. J. Pharazyu £5; W. E. Hall, At; collection (Terraco School), At 12s r,d; Kirkcaldie and Hill (further collections)—Kirkcaldie and Stains, second subscription, AlO 17s 3l; J. K. Capper, A2 2s; llamerton and Andrew, At Is; H. Reicliardfc, At Is; George and Kersley, A2 2s; employees (ditto), 15s; T. Ward, 10s lid; F. S. Allen, AM ; J. Holmes, 10s (id; Storer, Meek and Co., A l Is ; T. Young, 10s (id; Moorhouso and Madfield, AL Is; small amounts, A2 ss: total, £24 lfis 9d; Khandallah School collection, L7s; Mrs Fitchett, collection Woolcombo street, All 11s ; Parnparaumu School collection, 10s 7d. Messrs Kember and Jiarbroo, collection Cuba street, Ac. —J. J. Dudgeon, AL Is; W. 8. Simkin, AM Is; Mrs Herrmann, A 1 Is ; T. Whitohouse, AL Is; M. Sidoy, A 1 is ; J. Godbcr, 10s (id ; H. Pritchard, AL Is ; F. Rowe, 10s (id ; 11. M., 10s ; small amounts, 15s (id : total, AS 12s (id. Messrs Gascoigne and Deacon, collection Taranaki street, Ac. —F. McFarland, A2 2s ; Mrs Robertson, l()s ; small amounts, A 1 Os (id : total, AO 12s 01. Mr J. IV. Hill and Bev W. Baumber, further collection Tory street, Ac. —E. T. Taylor, £1 Is ; House, Black and Son, 10s ; small amounts, 7s Gd : total, At 18s (id. Total to date, A 1975 8s 7d.

Tim Premier lias received the following subscriptions towards the Brunner Relief Fund: —Messrs Anthony Hordern and Sons, A 100; Eltham Hack Racing Club, Al 515 s; .Sir Charles Lilley, A 5; Mr Goo. Rutherford, Bussell’s Flat, AlO; Mr J. E. Ghackor, A2 2s; bookmakers attending the Wairarapa Racing Club Meeting, AG ; Wellington Polico Force, £37 7s; Colonel Fox, £5; Mr .). Saunders, AlO; Thorndon State School children, A 3 5s 4d. An entertainment was given in the Wellington Working Men’s Club last week in aid of tho Brunner Relief Fund. Tho social hall was crowded, and an excellent variety entertainment was given. Encores wore numerous, the artists meeting with most favour being Miss M. Hewson, Miss A. Smith, and Masters Albort Stephens and Charles Albort, members of Pollard’s Opera Company. Messrs James Doyle and Jones gave an exhibition of club-swinging, during which Mr Doyle, in holding out at arm’s length for ssec a 501 b dumboll, broke tho New Zealand record for such a feat. Mr Doyle also succeeded in holding above his head what is said to he the largest dumbbell in Now Zealand, weighing 1751 b. The Working Men’s Club orchestra supplied tho overtures, they playing at the opening of tho performance Chopin’s Funeral March as a mark of respect to the dead miners. A varied programme was presented, and the success of tho entertainment is duo to Messrs D. Collins and (7. Butcher.

The Hon W. Swanson and Mr Orowtlmr, M.H.R., have collected over £llO for the Brunnot'ton Relief Fund. Tho Auckland Amateur Athletic Carnival was held in the Domain, in aid of the same fund. From 4000 to 5000 people were present, including llis Excellency the Governor and the Countess of Glasgow. It is expected that close on A2OO will be realised. Tire public observed a halfholiday, and a capital programme of sports was provided by the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club. Tho Chinese race, 23 starters, caused great amusement. At a meeting of the Relief Committee at Nelson it was reported that there were over A 770 now in hand here, while fully AMOO had been sent through other channels.

The sum of A2lO 8s Gd has been subscribed towards the Brunner Belief Fund through tho Government Departments. This was collected from 25 departments, but does not by any means represent the total sum contributed by tho public officers in Wellington, many of whom have given their contributions through other channels, besides which some of the larger departments decided to contribute through their own organisations. Tho total amount collected is now lying to the credit of a trust account at the National Bank of Now Zealand in Wellington, and will ho handed over to any general fund that may be established for the permanent relief of the widows and orphans. The subscriptions from the various departments were as follow: —Land Tax", Alios; Customs, head office, A2; Marino, A 3 ; Public Works, AlB (is; Colonial Secretary, A2 as; Treasury, ALI Is ; Justice, Native, Supremo Court, Ala 3s; Audit, AS 12s; Lunatic Asylum, Mount View, £4 8s; Lands and Survey, head office, AlB 9s Gd ; Lands and Survey, (district office, A 9 las Gd ; Education, A2 as ; Defence, head office, A 7 10s fid; Agriculture, A 3 17s ; Public Trust, AG 12s (id ; Messengers, A 7 2s Gd ; Printing Office, A 24 2s; Government Workshops, £l2 10s (id ; Stamps and Land Registry, A t 17s (id ; Parliamentary Buildings, AS Is; Minos and Museum, A 7 2s (id ; Inspector Machinery, A2; Labour, A 3 11s Gd; RegistrarGeneral, A 3 Is; Wellington Prison, AlO 10s. Total, A2lO 8s Gd.

Miners are being despatched from Wellington and other places to Brunnerton, to fill the places of those killed in the recent accident.

At a committee meeting of the Wellington branch of the Post and Telegraph Society last week the sum of A 3 3s was voted to tho Brunner Relief Fund.

A very largo meeting of the Central Committee was held at Brunnerton last week. Mr A. R. Guinness, M.H.R., was in the chair, and all parts of the Coast were represented. It was decided to hold a conference on tho Coast and select temporary trustees, and the question of permanent trustees will be considered by the Colony or Parliament. Tho Treasurer reported that the only monoyavailable until tho trustees were appointed was AGOG, and that that would not bo sufficient to pay grocers’ and other accounts transacted through the accident. It was resolved that two weeks’ allowance be paid to Llie widows and their children on Saturday, 18th inst. Mr O’ltogan, M.11.R., complimented the committee for their thorough and pains-

(akin- work. Ho thou-hfc it a wise course j to select Brunner as the seat of the Contral Committee. Unanimous votes of i thanks were passed to the ladies of Brunner and Grey for their assistance, and a hearty vote of thanks was tendered to Mr lb J. O’Regan, M.11.R. for Inangahau, 1 for tho way he worked as one of the rescue j party. | Last week the Brunner News apologised j publicly for a statement made in the re- j port of a meeting held by tho Central ' Committee. The grounds for the with- j drawal aro that the reporter, win* was j unable to be present at the meeting, was j misinformed, and the statements were j without foundation and did not contain any truth. A sports gala in aid of the Fund was held at Lancaster Park, Christchurch, last week. About 4000 people were pro- I sent. The Tramway Company will give ! tho whole of its takings during the after- i noon to the fund. The programme included cycling and athletic events, swim- i ming races, fire brigade competitions and a | fancy costume football match. The net ! proceeds will be about £l7O. (

Cabinet has contributed the sum of ASO ; to tho Brunner Relief Fund, and while on ■ the West Coast tho Premier paid this sum into the fund. The Government are dissatisfied with tho postponement of the coroner’s inquest j on the victims of tho Brunner disaster, fur j which no reason has yet been assigned, j They have therefore appointed a Royal Commission to enquire into tho disaster, and we believe that District Judge Ward, j Sir James Hector, a certificated coal-mine j manager and a practical working coal-miner ; will form the Commission.

At tho fortnightly meeting of the Operative Bakers’ Union on Saturday night, Mr A. Collin 3 (president) in tho chair, the sum of A2 2s was voted to the Brunner Relief Fund.

The employees of the 1).1.C., Wellington, sent a handsome subscription to the Mayor of Brunnerton, and received tho following acknowledgment on Saturday : —“ Central Committee acknowledges per Bank of Now Zealand your handsome donation, and return you their sincere thanks. John Ward, Mayor of Brunnerton.” Tho Brunner Nows of Friday says : —• This morning quite a throng of people assembled at the railway station to seo several of the orphan children taken away. Twelve children of tho lato William Hunter are to be taken to Oamaru, whilst a daughter of Mr John Hunter and one of Mr Williams left for Christchurch in care of Mrs Cunnington. A meeting to devise means of raising funds at Brisbane to assist the fund was again postponed. The Governor, who was present, expressed regret at the small attendance. This apathy of the Queenslanders is in striking contrast to tho vigorous help rendered from Now Zealand at the time of tho flood devastation.

The Otago Rugby Union has voted 15 guineas to the Brunner Fund. The Canterbury fund now amounts to £34(54.

The luangahua Times says that none of the orphans of Brunnerton have been adopted by strangers, all of thorn having relatives only tea glad to tako charge of thorn. The aunt of the Hunter children, who resides in Christchurch, has taken ten out of the family of twelve. Notwithstanding statements to the contrary, it seems that the committee responsible for disbursing tho funds to satisfy the immediate wants of the sufferers appear to have exercised the greatest prudence, and considering tho confusion that ensued immediately after the explosion, it is remarkable that everything was managed so well. At present the allowance made is J2s per week for each widow, and Is in respect of each child up to tho age of Hi. At the Friendly Societies’ gathering at Christchurch on Monday in aid of tho fund, a sum of A 23 was collected. A resolution was carried that it be a recommendation to the Government that the first issue of the new medals for heroic conduct be made to Mr Seddon and the miners who risked their lives in tho endeavour to rescue the entombed men.