PLIGHT OF WAIAPU

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17502, 26 February 1931, Page 9

PLIGHT OF WAIAPU

APPEAL BY ARCHBISHOP CHURCH’S HEAVY LOSSES FUNDS NEEDED AT ONCE An urgent appeal to the church people of New Zealand to come to the assistance of the diocese of Maiapu and contribute to a fund to rebuild the cathedral at, Napier, and other church buildings in the diocese destroyed or damaged in the earthquake, is being issued by the Primate, Archbishop Averill. in a letter to the Bishops of New Zealand lie says "1 have returned from a visit to Napier, Hastings and Te Auto, where I had the opportunity of seeing the terrible devastation wrought by the earthquake and fire. The calamity which has befallen the Waiapu diocese is intensified by the fact that the northern part of Hawke's Bay is experiencing a severe dry spell, in addition to the general financial depression through which tlie Dominion, with other parts of the world, is passing. “I was able to assure the bishop and standing committee that the whole protince was ready and anxious to help them in their great day of need, and I appeal very earnestly to the church people throughout the province to come to the help oi their fcllow-churchnicn to the utmost of their ability, it is impossible to estimate the cost of reconstructing what has been wholly or partially destroyed, and in all probability the full loss cannot be made good in tho present generation.

THE RUINED CATHEDRAL “The beautiful cathedral is a mass of ruins, the deanery is destroyed and the Synod Hall and diocesan cilices, with all Hie diocesan records, have been destroyed by tho disastrous lire. Bishopseourt is seriously damaged and the £SOO granted by the General synod will be sufficient to meet a small part only of the necessary repairs. The concrete church at Hastings lias also suffered considerably, and the tower needs to bo removed at once. The vicarage and schoolroom at Hastings are seriously damaged. Churches, vicarages and schoolrooms at St. Augustine’s and St. Andrew's, Napier, Havelock North, Tara dale, Clive, Otane, Waipawa, Waipukurau and Wairoa have all suffered more or less, and in many cases very seriously. “At Te Aute College the new buildings have been seriously damaged, but the Maori Purposes Board is prepared to afford the trustees some relief, and the school, with a smaller number of pupils, will be carried on in the old wooden buildings for tho present. Hukarerc Echo'd for Maori girls is damaged and will not lie used for 12 months at least So the tale of woe continues, and the list, of damaged properties could be considerably lengthened.

PUBLIC FUNDS NOT AVAILABLE

“How is the diocese of Waiapu to meet or begin to meet the cost of reconstruction'.' Many of tho church people have lost their means of livelihood and can do nothing. Many more who have been benefactors to the church in the past can do little, if anything, at present. There are practically no insurances available, and yet the work of the church must continue and buildings of sonic sort must be erected and vicarages and schools made useable. How are the clergy and deaconesses to be paid even a moderate sum? There are at least nine clergy and two deaconesses in the area specially affected by the catastrophe.

“The spirit and helpfulness of many of the people are beyond all praise, and they will do everything in their power to help themselves, but the province must come to their help at once. The people in tho Dominion, considering the difficulty of tho times, have contributed magnificently to the general funds for the relief of the sufferers, but public funds will not be available for reinstating damaged churches and schoolrooms, and possibly not for vicarages, and consequently there is a call for self-sacrifice on the part of church people to help bear WHiapu’s burdens. “I hope every parish in the province will respond to this appeal for Waiapu. The practical sympathy of fellow-church-men will be twice blest, for it will help them to see some daylight through tho dark cloud overshadowing them and inspire them with hope and courage, and it will enable them to restore some of the ruined or partially-ruined buildings and continue the ministrations of the church.”

BUILDERS CONFER

EARTHQUAKE DISCUSSED (Pur Press Association 1 INVERCARGILL, this day. The annual conference of the New Zealand Builders and Contractors’ Industrial Union of Employers was. commenced at Invercargill yesterday, the following delegates being present: Messrs. E. Walpole, J. W. Andrews, A. B. Fraser. A. If Mildcnhall. (Wellington) ; A. P. Andrews, A. J. Ball (Southland) r R. C. Jamieson, C. W. Graham, W. P. Glue (Canterbury); R. A. Cornish (Auckland); W. Knuckey (Wanganui); J. T. Hunt, J. C. Butcher (South Canterbury) ; W. R. Loan, J. J, Paul, A. McLaren (Dunedin); E. Anderson (Palmerston North); F. JUainland., W. J. Clark, W. Parkin, W. Mill (members of the executive) ; N. Cole (vice-president), and F. Ross (genera] secretary).

Before dealing with remits, reference was made to the Hawke's Bav earth-

quake, and a resolution of sympathy was carried. The conference then went into committee to deal with remits, and at the conclusion of yesterday’s deliberations the following remit was released for publication: “That the New Zealand Federated Builders and Contractors’ Union of Employers, in conference assembled, strongly urges the Government, in the public interest, to appoint an additional builder to the the committee set tip to consider the framing of Dominion building by-laws in relation to earthquake resistance.”