KAITANGATA BELIEF FUND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2008, 18 August 1892, Page 20

KAITANGATA BELIEF FUND.

The following letters have -been sent to the Minister for Mines in connection with the bill now before Parliament to relieve the trustees of the Kaitangata Relief Fund of their trust :—: —

Sir, — I enclose separately a letter adopted ye? terday (July 27) at a meeting of the trustees aud executive of the Kaitang.ita relief fund to consider your proposed bill to deal with that fund. I also enclose a printed copy of tho resolutions bearing upon the objects and disposal of the fund as adopted by the subscribers at a meeting when the funds were collected in 187.1 (July 11). It was resolved that a copy of the letter and of these resolutions should bo forwarded to you in the firat instance, so that you might have an opportunity of communicating to me your views thereon. I may mention that it is intended that, failing your acquiescence with the views of the trustees and executive, a copy of the letter and resolutions will be given to the Press, and copies forwarded to members of both Houses. I have, therefore, most respectfully to solicit your early attention to this, as in dealing with it both trustees and executive are most anxious to treat the whole matter in a courteous and friendly spirit. I regiefc that circumstances have delayed earlier communication, for which I apologise. — I am. &c.. t John L. Gimjks, Secretary to Executive Committee.

Dunedin, July 27.

Hon. Minister for Mines,

Sir, — I have tho honour, by request of the trustees and executive of the Kaitangata relief fund, to submit to you the following points in connection with your proposed bill for vesting the balance that may be available of that fund in the Public Trustee, and for the purposes set forth in the said bill. The trustees and executive approve in the main that the time has -now arrived forparliamentary action, and would not offer any objection to the course proposed, provided that the bill be amended in the direction hereinafter pointed out. First, they wish to state (see extract resolutions) that when the funds were raised the question was fully discussed as to the future application of any surplus, and it was almost unanimously decided that the fund should be confined to 1 colliery accidents. It was argued and fully recognised^ that colliery accidents, as a rule, entailed a large sacrifice of the lives of breadwinners, and consequently necessitated a large sudden expenditure to meet the necessities of those left destitute. It was considered, in view of the large sum raised to meet the Kaitangata case, if any surplus should result therefrom it should be husbanded and stored up profitably to meet any similar accident or casualty in any of the coal mines of tho colony, and that it should not be applied to minor accidents of a lesser or individual character,. The trustees and executive feel therefore bound to oppose the proposal of making the surplus available for all mining accidents. They are also of opinion that the terms of the bill in regard to the beneficiaries having a claimupon the fund are of too general a character. Thus in the allowances made by the executive, while general rules were laid down for guidance, there was scope left for their dealing with specialcases. As, take for example, iv the cases of children, while the rule was that allowances were to cease on their reaching the ago of 15, in two cases an exception was made. One,- a boy, without any relations, and whose mother and two sisters died of consumption since the accident, he also, poor fellow, showing strong symptoms 6f that fell disease being in his system. The other case— that of a young girl of very delicate and, I am afraid, of consumptive constitution also. In both these cases the executive exercised their prerogative and have continued their allowance — 7s per week. There are also several children who will go off tho fund tin's year, and the remainder of the children the following year. Again, in regard to those still remaining widows, there are nine who are at present entitled to be on the fund, and their allowance hitherto has been 15s per week ; but as soon as the children are all off the fund, and as the mothers are getting up in years, the executive' think they should be secured 20s per week. Of course, provision also should be made that in the event of any of themgetting married the allowances should cease. In another case the executive have had to use their prerogative outside the general regulations. One of the widows that married, after a few years lost her second husband, also by a colliery accident. Her circumstances with two young families were such that the executive consideied themselves justified in replacing her upon the fund, allowing her 26s per week. These are a fesy of the cases met with in practice which seem to justify tho trustees and executive in coming to the opinion that the provisions of the bill are of too general a character. By the wording of clause 5 it is doubted whether present beneficiaries are not secured for all time coming, and under any circumstances the amounts they now receive, no provision being made for the allowances ceasing on children arriving at 15 years, or iv case of widows getting mairied, and no provision for cases of leinstatoinent should distress and poverty overtake any of the widows that have remarried.

The trustee and executive are of opinion that the bill should cmbndy powers to his Excellency the Govcrnor-in-Council to make regulations from time to time, a* emergencies might require, approved by thft Minister and albO by a representative of the beneficial ic-i, the trustees and executive of the fund, or someone to represent them, aud by the nnyor for the time being. Knowing the ditiiciilties from cxperieure attendant upon the wke adminfelratirtn of such a fund, and the great necessity of guarding against abuses on the one hand, and at the same time of taking a liberal view in cases of real distress, and in such affording the needed relief, the trustees and executive submit that it is impossible to lay down any cast-iron rule to meet cases that may arise, and that, therefore some provision of the nature suggested should be embodied in the bill.

The trustees aud executive are also of opinion that it should be more clearly defined that the capital banded over should not be trespassed upon, or be liable to be trespassed upon in any w ay that would or might iucur any risk of failure iv fulfillir.K the obligations t,o aud claims of the original beneficiaries.

The trustees and executive feel themselves hound to see that the wishc3 and intentions of the Bubhcribers are maintained, and that the rights of the beneficiaries are faithfully secured. — I an>, tVc,

J. T. Mackcrras, Chairman of Meeting of Trustees and Kxccutive.

Resolutions of subscribers to the Kaitangata relief fund :—

1. As the sum rair-e^ by the country for the relief of the Kaitj.n><d bu!Tei£rs has exceeded expectation, and ia iiiore than sufficient for the

immediate purposes for which the money was raised, it is expedient that the capital bo made the nucleus of a permanent fund for the relief of similar distress, thus :— (1) The widows, orphans, and dependents of the men who lost their lives in the Kaitangata explosion ; (2) the widows, orphans, and dependents of such as shall lose their lives in coal mining accidents throughout the country ; (3) such as shall be permanently disabled by coal mining accidents throughout the country. 2. If at any time there shall remain in the hands of the trustees a surplus of more than LSOO from annual revenue, after all claims coming uuder the above three classes have been met, the committee shall out of such surplus grant aid thus :— (I) To the widows, orphans, and dependents of such as shall lose their lives in mining accidents of whatever kind ; (2) to such as shall be permanently disabled by mining accidents of whatever kind.

3. If at any time there shall accumulate in the hands of the trustees a sum of LISOO they shall invest LIOOO of such surplus revenue as an addition to the permanent capital. 4. There shall bo appointed by the general committee an executive committee of nine persons, who shall receive and adjudicate on all applications for relief from the fund, according to the following regulations : — (I) Three shall form a ?uorum. (2) When there are conflicting claims or relief beyond the sum at the disposal of the committee, priority of claim shall be decided in the order of the classes above enumerated. (3) Every application for relief shall be decided at a meeting subsequent to that at which application is made ; but the committee may grant immediately such interim relief as the case may seem to warrant. (4) In adjudicatinp on applications the committee shall have respect to the actual circumstances of the applicants, and shall not be under obligation to grant aid unless satisfied that parties are not otherwise sufficiently provided for.