THE BRUNNER DISASTER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1261, 30 April 1896, Page 37

THE BRUNNER DISASTER.

The following further subscriptions have been received towards tho Citizens’ Fund: —Mr Alpe’s collection, Newtown, £3 7s !)d ;

A.O.F. Court Sir William Jorvois, £2 2s. Kirkcaldie and Hill, further collections —

A. 11. Logan, 10s (id; Bailor and Ander--1 son, ill Is; Schaeffer and Co., 10s; W. 11. , Quick, ill; Friend, 10s ; 8.8., 10s 6d; j 8.8. and Co,, it2 2s; 11.11., ill ; Briscoe, , MacNcil and Co., i!25 ; P. E. Baldwin, Jls ' ss; anonymous, 2s (id; F. Routh, ill Is ; J.J.F., hi Is; A. Gillott, ill Is; S. Danks and Son, .£2 2s ; C. D. Henry, £1 ; W. Brown, IDs; Waddell, McLeod and Weir, i!5 ; anonymous, £] Is ; Mrs Chalmers, ill Is ; Wellington and Manawatu Railway staff and employees, .£2G 17s Gd; Karon collection (by committee and Mr Bulkloy), proceeds of concert, .£ll 2s (id; G. S. Cooper, A. Cooper, Mrs Field, It. C. Bulkley, Mrs Bulk ley, J. Mackenzie, ill Is each ; S. Campbell, 0. Cathie, 11. W. Moss, S. Lancaster, the Dasent family, ill each ; P. Monaghan, W. J. Monaghan, E.J.D., 11. Mitchell, W. J. Williams, T. Lower, Hooper, Hawkins, Mrs Smith, L. Ilill, Mrs Spiers and W.D., 10s each ; smaller amounts, £8 0s Gd: total, .£2O 10s. South Karori School collection (by Miss Donald), 15s; employees T. Ballinger and Co., i!2 Is. Mrs Ilustwick, further collection—W. Edwards, .£1 Is; C. W. Mullins, 103; employees Singer Company, ill 4s Gd ; employees Slina Bros., 16s Gd ; small amounts, 10s (id: total, ill 2s Gd ; Southern Cross Lodge of Oddfellows, £5 5s ; collections at Shannon, Jl2O 11s; Messrs Kirkcaldie and Hill (further collections) viz., Davis and Clater, .£2 2s ; M. Barnett, 10s (id; Friend, 10s; New Zealand Express Company, £2 10s ; employees of W. Wiggins, .£2 10s; P. and Co., lOs (id; Friend, 10s; J. Cl. Allen, ill Ls; S. Diamond, £1 Is; Arolia, ill; Occidental Hotel, .£2 Os (id; C. J. Levy, ill ls ; Castondyk and Focke, £2 2s; employees R. Hannah and Co., i!2 12sGd ; Sympathiser, £■2 2s ; M, 5s : total, £22 !)?. R. Birnbaum and Son, .£2 2s; pupils Marist Brothers’ School, £2 10s ; Kirkcaldie and Hill (further collection) —Levin and Co.’s staff, £l2 4s. Total to date, £2185 5s 10d.

A sum of over £624 has up to date been collected by tho Post and Telegraph Department.

The latest subscription received by the Premier is tho sum of £lO 10s from the members of the Stock Exchange, Perth. The sum of £4, being a second subscription from the employees of tho Wellington Meat Export Company, has been added to tho New Zealand 'Times subscription list. The total sum subscribed by the employees of that Company amounts to £l7. Tho sum of 8s 7d, the proceeds of a penny concert held in Tinakori road, oil Wednesday night, has also been added to the New Zealand Times subscription list. Tho chief performers at the entertainment were Masters Max ton (2), Gillespie (2) and

Miss Max toil, all very young children. A donation of £3 3s from Air Thomas Waters, of Hill street, has been added to the same

The Mayor of Brminerton telegraphed last week to the Press Association:— “ Tho Central Coininitteo met hero to-day. A largo number of outside representatives from Grey to Roefton were present. It was decided to appoint temporary trustees to keep office only until permanent trustees are appointed, and on a ballot the following were elected : —The Mayors of Brunner, Greymouth and Hokitika; Hon James Kerr, M.L.C.; and Messrs A. R. G uinness, M.U.R., Greymouth ; P. J. O’Regan, M.H.R., Roefton, and Mr Bishop, manager of the coalmine at Brunner; they to keep charge of the funds only until tho centres or Parliament decide.” A concert was held on hoard the Wakatipu last week, after which a collection was made among tho saloon passengers on behalf of tho Brunner Fund, tho amount realised being £3 15s. This sum tho purser handed in at the New Zealand Times office last night. At a meeting of the Melbourne Druids’ Gala Committee hold on Wednesday week, a sum of £SO was voted to tho Brunner Relief Fund. Tho Eltham people havo subscribed over £IOO to the Brunner Fund. At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Brunner Fund in the City Council Chambers on Friday, tho Mayor said lie regretted that the telegram sont by him to tho various Mayors of tho Colony had been misunderstood and misinterpreted in A uckland. Tho Promier had informed him that ho intended to convene a meeting in Wellington for tho purpose of setting up a body of trustees to administer the fund as a colonial one.

The secretary said that tho house-to-house collection amounted to £338 odd, of which Messrs Kirkcaldie andC. Hill had got £l3B. lie believed that something like £3OO was yet to come in, and that the Citizens’ Fund would eventually total £2500, besides which considerable sums had been seat to Brunnerton direct. 110 thought the total amount from Wellington altogether would bo close on £3OOO. It was decided to close the lists on 11th May. A letter was received from the Town Clerk of Tim,am m answer to tho telegram of tlie Mayor of Wellington, and making some suggestions with regard to the administration of the fund. Tug secretary was directed to write to the Premier expressing satisfaction with his suggestion, and requesting that ho would call tho proposed mooting at tho earliest convenience. The Mayor thanked the ladies and gentlemen who had taken up tho work for their services, and he considered special mention should bo made of Messrs Kirkcaldie and Hill. Although Wellington would lie somewhat behind Canterbury in

the amount subscribed, still they had come nobly to the front. The Royal Commission on the Brunner disaster will consist of District Judge Ward, Sir James Hector, Mr Joseph Proud, late of Newcastle, England, English and New Zealand certificated mine manager, and Mr Thomas Skelton, working coalminer at Iluntly, and a representative man among the miners there. The enquiry will be commenced as soon as the Commission has been returned by lii3 Excellency tho Governor, who is now at Auckland. Mr W. C. Fitz Gerald, chemist, recently forwarded a parcel of clothes to the Mayor of Brunnerton for the sufferers by the recent mining disaster. Mr Fitz Gerald lias received the following reply" Goods to hand, and many thanks. Assure you they will bo most useful to bereaved families.” Mr Fitz Gerald intends to send another parcel in a few days. On Friday tho toys sent by the Canterbury children were distributed by tho Mayor, Mr Ward, assisted by several ladies. The pleasant smiles on tho faces of the little recipients would have well repaid the little givers could they have but icon the children laden with toys returning to their mothers. Eacli child received a parcel of books and toys, whilst those children who were not afflicted by the disaster received a small book as a memento of tho sad occurrence. Two children moved a vote of thanks to the Canterbury children, for the love, kindness and sympathy they had shown, and it was carried unanimously. Tho littlo ones then gave three cheers for the Canterbury children. The amount in the hands of tho Canterbury treasurer of the Brunner Fund now amounts to £4020.