FINE SPIRIT

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 41, 24 June 1929, Page 5

FINE SPIRIT

!■ STRICKEN ARB MR COATES’ TRIBUTE SPLENDID WORK CHIEF THOUGHTS FOR OTHERS. NELSON, This Pay. On his return from a visit to Murchison, which he made yesterday in company with Mr G. G. Black M.P. the leader of the Opposition, Hon. J. G. Cc ate a, aficr describing tho locality inspected, including the largo Matakitaki slip, said) he liad had a good! experience of the. canrtonados which were said now to he much less severe than in the first days following the quakes. Following yesterday morning quakes, the settlers had decided on ay general evacuation from the various villages and the task those in charge of arrangements were engaged on at the moment was the evacuation of all women and children, older residents and those suffering from, illness.

INDESCRIBABLE SCENES

The houses were mostly standing whom Mr Coates inspected, them, buo inside there wni'ei scenes, that weue und.esoribable. finds, cnaifrs, blankets, crockery and everything else were mixed up l ns it all had be'e.n violent" ly rolled over and over. On the ether hand a fine spirit had beeit shown on all sides by every individual. This was something to make one proud to belong to tins country and be a member of the community.

Food,, transport, comforts, medical supplies autl all services of that nature were under the direction of a) committee which had never left their posits, and bad toiled unceasingly clay and night with no thought of self, but with every consideration for others. Gangs of men* drawn from local residents, and men on Public Works had foiled incessantly to relieve and rescuei those isolated. If was terribly hard on those affected, but fortunate for New Zealand as a whole that the area of the phenomenon! had been comparatively localised to about 10 miles.: ,I,OST THEIR ALL. Though many in other places had also suffered one could readily understand the gloomy outlook of those whohiadj lost their ad; settlers whose farms had been scourdd, dislfiguied and distrpyed, but one remembered also the brave way with Which they had faedd their hlndl oil the •unselfish spirit shown. I am sure said M r Coates, the public of New Zealand will readily respond to the call for immediate assistance. These settlers are great people. Game id not the word for it. 'Hie finest spirit of citizenship has been, put to the hardest test and they are living right up to highest traditions of the pioneers.” HELL WON’T SHIFT ME. Mr Coates recalled the reply of ond old settler whew ordered out by the committee; “We have, been here! for 54 years and hell’s not going to shift me.”