FLOOD RELIEF

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19584, 16 March 1938, Page 4

FLOOD RELIEF

DAMAGE AT TOLAGA RELIEF NEEDS URGENT NO HELP FROM MAIN FUND R.S.A. TO AID “DIGGERS” Yesterday’s announcement on behalf of the Flood Relief Committee, that little if any of the money subscribed by the public of Gisborne and the surrounding district would be available for sufferers other than those in the railway camps, prompted energetic action on the part of the executive of the Gisborne Returned Soldiers’ Association.

That organisation proposes to make a special appeal to the public for funds to assist in rehabilitating “Digger” farmers of the Tolaga Bay district who suffered not only serious immediate loss through last month's hoods, but also lost the sources of their incomes through the lilting of pastures and the wrecking of the fence-lines on their properties.

It is believed that public sympathy for these men and others who were affected by the Uawa floods is no less sincere than for those who suffered in .he railway camps; and that while loose who contributed to the main relief lunds cannot be expected to double their outlay by subscribing as liberally to the Returned Soldiers’ Association’s list, sufficient money will be forthcoming, in response to the appeal, to render material assistance to Tolaga Bay “Diggers” who are now in deep distress. Relief Committee Policy

At a special meeting of the execu;ive held last evening, the position of these ex-servicemen on the floodaffected farms at Tolaga Bay was discussed at some length. The secretary, Mr. W. Oakden,' placed before the meeting a letter from the Flood Relief Committee, Gisborne, the contents of vhieh were almost identical with the announcement made yesterday and published in last night’s issue of the Herald. This letter made it clear that there was no likelihood of substantial aid being given to applicants in areas outside the railway camps.

A verbal report was made also on investigations of the Tolaga Bay “Digger" farmers' troubles, the president, Colonel R. F. Gambrill, stating '.hat the Tolaga Bay branch of the association was compiling detailed information as to losses in individual cases, and that certain steps had been taken to meet the most pressing needs of the principal sufferers. The Tolaga Bay “branch had done extremely well with the limited funds at its disposal, Colonel Gambrill added, but its resources were not by any means equal to the demands of the occasion. The case was one in .vhich the district organisations as a >vhole should throw its weight in the scale, and do whatever could be done to assist the area branch. “Worthy of Assistance”

Discussion hinged upon the best means of affording early relief to those who had suffered complete loss of income, and it was pointed out that while the public already had subscribed handsomely to aid sufferers in the railway camps, the circumstances of those in the Tolaga Bay area should appeal as being just as worthy of relief. “We- may have missed the -first wave of public sympathy, by delaying to secure details of individual losses,” remarked one speaker, "but it should still be possible to rouse interest in the difficulties of the Tolaga Bay men.” The fact that the Government had not been able to furnish anything in the way of immediate relief to a majority of the Uawa County sufferers was also referred to, and a discussion took place on the best means of supporting the claims for official action. It was decided to delay action in this respect until the Tolaga Bay R.S.A. had outlined its claims on behalf of individual settlers. The need for immediate assistance to the “Digger" farmers was described as most acute, and it was this feature which moved the district association to take the step of making a special appeal to the public. A list for subscriptions is now posted at the Gisborne Returned Soldiers’ Association’s headquarters in Read’s quay, and donations will be duly acknowledged.

LIST AT HERALD OFFICE

Donations to the “Digger” settlers’ flood relief fund, opened by the Gisborne Returned Soldiers’ Association, will be received at the office of the Poverty Bay Herald, and duly acknowledged.

The proprietors of the Herald have donated £5 to the fund.

FUND ADMINISTRATION POSITION OF GOVERNMENT “They have suffered a great deal more up the Coast than anywhere else,” stated Cr. W. G. Sherratt at today’s meeting of the Cook County Council, when a donation of £lO 10s to the flood relief fund was confirmed.

In reply to his question, the county chairman, Cr. Charles Matthews, said that all flood sufferers were now being considered by the committee administering the fund. Cr. F. S. Bowen said that the public had not responded very well in view of the expectation that the Government should do something. He believed that what had been contributed now was for immediate relief.

Cr. E. H. Baker fully endorsed the action of the committee in deviating some of the funds as a purely Kopuawhara concern.'

The Minister of Internal Affairs, wrote in reply to a letter from the council stating that the Government would be prepared to validate contributions to the flood relief fund.