THE BRUNNER DISASTER. MEETING OF THE LOCAL COMMITTEE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2203, 21 May 1896, Page 20

THE BRUNNER DISASTER. MEETING OF THE LOCAL COMMITTEE.

A meetirg of the Brunner Relief Fund Local Committee was held at the Town Hall •on fche 13th inst., and attended by Mr. T. W. Kempthorno (chairman), Iha Hon. W. D. Stewart, M.L.C., Messrs D. Pinkerton, W. Hutchison, W. Barnshaw, M.H.R.'s, J. B. Callan, G. Fenwick, G. L. Denniston, D. Harris Hasting*, and T. S GiU^am (hon. secretary).

Mr Graham said that, in reply to a telegram from him, Sir Robert Stout had wired stating that he would be happj to represent Duuedin subscribers at the conference in Wellington on the 14th, find asking that the views of tho •übscribcrs on the matter be oommunicated to him. . / Mr Dknniston moved—" That Sir It. Stout be asked to represent the committee at the conference." Mr Caixan understood that two delegates were to repretebt each place, and urged that it ■was important .that two delegates should .be appointed. He moved-" That Mr H. J. Walter, for many years resident in Dunedin and at one time mayor of the city, be appointed as second delegate " . „ ir, was agreed that Sir R. Stout and Mr Wslter be associated as the delegates from DiD 'i nedin at the conference. The Chairman asked for the views of the con.mittee as to the instructions to bs given to the delegates. ■ Air Fenwick regretted that the proposal of that committee, and of many other oom-. mittees throughoub the colony, that the conference should ba held at the time of the Municipal Conference in Wellington, had not been carried out. He thought that the action that h»d been taken in respect to the confereuce had been pteciuitate, and th*t it would have been very much better to have given the subscribers throughout the colony plenty of opportunity of expressing their views ; but as other committaes had appointed delegates, no doubt, under the circumstances, the Dunedin committee had done the proper thing in following the same course. While at one time he had been inclined to thick that it would be better that the whole of the fund should ba devoted to tha purpose for which it was specially raised, he had come on second thoughts to the conclusion that, in the event of there being a surplus, it should form the nucleus of a national fund for the relief of the suffering that migLb arise in the colony as the result of accidents. At the came time he doubted whether there would be any surplus. The number of children who had been left destitute was 169, and there were 38 widows ; and it seemed, probable the tund would nob amount to more than £16,000. If thfct «urn twas invested at 5 per cent , which was the utmost that could be looked for nowadays, the first year it would bring in £800. In some caies there would probably bs no necessity, or very little, to make any provision, but these cases would be very few, and in other cases the necessity ~would be very great. Reckoning on the basis that it would be a fair avert ge to allow 53 per we?k for each child, the expenditure in the first year would come to, £2210, end if from that was deducted the interest they would see tbab the fund wouid be reduced by £1400 in the first, year. As the interest decreased the reduction would annually be greater, and in a few years' time, it could be easily se«n, the fund would be reduced to, small proportions. Of couise as years went on the children who grew up would be able to help their widowed mothers and others in need, and therefore there would not bs quite the progressive reduction shown b; the figures ; but e-timating as best one could with au incomplete knowledge, it seemed bo him that the fund would not be much more than would be required for the alleviation of the necessities of those who had been left behind. It was incumbent, however, upon the subscribers to provide for the con.tingency of a surplus, and to express an opinion as to what should be done in that event, and, •s he had said, he bad come to the conclusion that it would be a wise thing to let it form the '< nucleus of a Dational fuud. A great calamity like that at the Brunuer mine struck home to every one, but the individual privations of those ! who were left behind were no greater than j the -suffering and sorrows of those who were affected by other accidents causing loss of life. Everyone present knew how, in the course of their lives, many cases of fatal accident occurred each yeac in almost every large centre which necessitated the providing of some means for the alleviation of the material wanti of the families, and it seemed to him that if the colony inaugurated a Dational fund ib would be doing a very wise thing. Be admitted that the question broadened out, and he knew it was objected by some people that the effect would be that in the event of other great calamities occurring it was prob>b'e that the charitable instincts of the, people, which under, other circumstances would lead to- generous astistance being given, would be blunted. He believed, however, that the needs of the cases would be provided for, as in the present instance. There might be per.sons who would refuse to con tribu'e, but he was quite , convinced that the majority of people would nob hold their hand. Ha trusted that in the event of there beirg a surplus it would be decided to let it form the nucleus of a national fund for the purpose of relieving the disbress arising from accidents of any kind in the colony. A« to the administration of the fund, he believed that the Public Trustee was the proper person to be appointed. - In the hands of that official tb.B fund would be carefully administered, and there would be less danger of lO3S of any portion of the principal than there would be if it were entrusted to a committee, who would necessarily in this case reside in different parts of the colony. He moved— l " That iv the event of there being arty surplus of the Brunner icoidenb relief fund after adequate provision has been made for the widows and orphans and other dependent .relations of those, who lost their lives by the disaster, it be appropriated to the establishment of a national fund to be fotmed for the relief of the dependent relatives, Df persons who"°may be accidentally killed in" the colony of New Zealand, and that tho whole fund be vested in tha Public Trustee of the colony for investment and" administration."

Mr Dekniston eeconded the motion. Mr Hutchison, EfCEhR., agreed with the resolution to the extent of vesting the fund in the Public Trustee, but differed from Mr Fenwick as to any attempt being made to conserve the fund, which ought, he thought, to be devoted entirely to the widows and orphans for whom it had been subscribed. He did not think they should contemplate the event of there being a balance.

Mr Fbnwick remarked that he hoped there would be a generous distribution of the fund, but that if, after that, there should be any surplus it should go to form the nucleus of a National fund.

Mr Hutchison said, as to the, administration of the fund, the resting in the Public Trustee did nob give, and ought not to give, that official the administration of the fund, all that was required of him being that he should pay out gums forfcnightlj or monthly, «a the ordar of

the committee who would be appointed for the purpose, to the various psrbies who would be ■beiwficiaries under the trust. He thought the committee should indicate the amount which they cous'djred should be p&id oub of the fund,, aud he would suggest that the payment to each widow should be 12s, and bo each child 3s 6d per week. If a widow had two or three children she would thus have about £1 per week, which would, he tbought, be a fair, but not too liberal, payment under the circumstances.

Me Fenwick did nob apprehend that they were thsre to recommend what pait'cular amounts should be paid. He hud merely ghen in a !ou<h way what he thought the reduction we uld bo on the bajis of allowing 5-> a wteb for each child, bub he had not iutx-nded to reeomrnead that amount. Mr Finkreton, M H.R., suggest* d tint in the event of the fund being placed in the hands of the Public Trustee, which would, he thought, be the right course to adopt, the committee Bhould recommend that, if pos-ible, the charges usually made for administering an estate should be forgone. Mr Graham temarked that that suggestion had _bwn made also by the mayor. Mr Fknwick said he would gladly add that suggestion to his motion. Mr Hastings thought the suggestion for the establishment of a nation.il fund wai an exceedingly oppo'luuv one. The proceeds of what was known in other places as Hospital Sunday might be given t > such a fuud. , The Ho'j. W. D. Stewart pointed out that there was a coalmines' accident fund, which was gradually growing, aud he had bec-n anxious to kuow something of its administration. Two companies Alone contributed about £10,000 to that fund, which wa* to provide for accidents and ca'es of detth He did nofc, however, see any objection to a national fund being formed if there was auy surplus from the Brunzier fund, but he doubted vc-ry much the propriety of throwiug «Vi'ry-hing into the Public Trust Office, and he doubted whether it was desirable to ask a public office t; do work for nothing, because that meaut that the.publio would have to pay for the work in another shape. Mr Callan thought it would be a very good thing if the fund could be administered by the Public Trustee, but the more he th ught of it th- m-re was he impressed with th« l-elief that that officer could not administer the fund. The mtn who administered the fund should have an intimate acquaintance with all the circumstances of the cases. He was afraid th^re would be no nurplus, but if there was to be one he did not know that it could b- operated on in a better way than that suggested by Mr Fenvriok.

Mr Hutchison suggested that the motion should be oonnued in the meantime to a recommendation that the money be placed in the "hands of the Public Trustee, without anticipating a surplus.

Mr Fenwick said ifc wa? inevitable that the Public Trustee must he advised as to the individual allocations by some lockl coramit'ei thoroughly cognisant with the requirements of each c*sb The coaliniaera' accident fund, to whioh Mr Stewart had referred, was applicable only, to the esses of people who were left in necisitous circumstances through accidents in coal or other mines, bat the proposal in this case was forTne establishment of a fund which would apply to aor,id-n!;« of any kind whatever. He did»not think th.<- 'o >in : tt-ein esp tuning their opinion ought t i...> >liiu- taeuis-^ives to the statement that the ixi^ting fund Bhould b9, deposited in the hands of the Public Trustee, for they were specially a«ked to say whab should ba done with the surplus, if any, after the need:) of the persons at preaent requiriug aid were met. The motion was carried, with the addition of the following clause :— «' Further, that the Public Trustee be a»ked to forgo any commission to which he may be entitled for administering the fund." Mr Hastings moved— "That the Public Trustee should then Allocate the funds upon the recommendation of a local committee, and that, -in the opinion of the Dunedin c mmit f e?, widows fihould i\ceive not less than 12i and children (up to the age of 15 years) 3s 6d per wefk " The allowances recommended were those given in the case of the KaitangaU j ace dent. Mr Pinkbrton thought the proposal for the allowances was rather ' c»st iron, for circumstances might 'arise occasionally which would necessitate the allowances being exceeded. If they were to tie down the moDey so as to limit the relief to children under 15 yeais of age great hardship might result.. Mr Hastings agrt ed to strike the words " up to the age of 15 years " out of the resolution. Mr Earnshaw, M.H.R , asked where the lino was to be drawn if there was not to be some age limit. Un'ess th'are was a limib all children of 16 or 17 might claim. Mr Fenwick suggested that the words "until in the opinion of the local committee relief , is no longer required " shoud be added to the motion. , This suggestion was adopted, and the motion as," amended was carried. Mr Graham said th*t the mayor had^suggeB(ied that the delegates should be asked to inquire as t j the ooa'.miners' accident fund. Mr Hotchisont presumed that each widow would already have been paid £25 out of thai fund. It was agreed to. request the delegate 3 to apply for information on the point.