THE PENGUIN DISASTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 3

THE PENGUIN DISASTER.

FINAL MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE. WELLINGTON, October 9. The final meeting oi" the Penguin Disaster General Committee wa3 held to-day. Mr D. M'Laren, M.P., presided. The report of a sub-committee showed that 61 persons had received assistance, the individual amounts ranging from £2 to £359 Is 7d. It will be ro.nembered that the survivors of the crew were immediately dealt with and were provided with outfits to enable them to at ones bo ready for employment, and such was speedily found for them by the Union Steam Ship Company. The total sum disbursed on account of these was £209 16a 9d, the amounts ranging from £7 lCte to £2O. Of 15 deceased members of the <£rew where claims were made and proof afforded of the de« pendenco of others upon their earnings, special "consideration was given. Considerable correspondence was -Tendered, necessary to obtain full particulars in corroboration of the claims. The total sum disbursed under this" heading was £402, the amount* varying from £7 to £l6O, the larger amount being due to special circumstances of which the committee is fully cognisant. Tea surviving passengers received in all, £470 10s Id, the amounts varying from £7 ta £389 Is 7d, the latter amount being tha sum paid on account of Mrs Hannan, tfoa only lady survivor of the wreck. Of tha amount above stated £2O0 l was paid by the committee to the public trustee to be held in trust and paid to her in periodical amounts until her. posthumous child shall attain the age of 14 years. Claims from tho relatives of the 31 passengers deceased involved disbursements amounting to £570 19s 6d, in sums ranging from £2 to £76,and the sum of £1206 2s 7d still remains to the credit of the fund- It has been, mentioned that the Genera! Committee might approve of a proposal to refund to the Shipwreck Relief Society of New Zealand it 3. subscription of £2OO, as relief from the society extends to all parts of the Dominion, and it would be of much assistance to the society to receive from the fund a sum which is not now required and which was generously and promptly given by it. This would leave the sum of £IOO6 2s 7d in hand, £SOO of which might, with the approval of the General Committee, be placed in trust at the Post Office Savings Bank to bo held for assistance in any maritime disaster on New ZeaJ.ii>d shores, and the balance handed over to the Shipwreck Relief Society. The report and balance sheet wera adopted. Mr J. R. Palmer, Mr D. M'Laren, and the Mayor for the time being were appointed trustees for the administration of the fund.

It was resolved that, in the event oE no claims being- mad'e, the fund could bo used for extending the relief in the caao of any similar disaster, any balance remaining two years hence to be handed over to the Shipwreck Relief Society. The trustees were given power to fill any vacancy occurring in their ranks.