EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND

Taranaki Daily News, 17 February 1931, Page 9

EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND

N. TARANAKI SUBSCRIPTIONS

AMOUNT OF OVER £6ooo DONATED

NEW PLYMOUTH FUNDS £5OOO.

More than £BOOO has already been contributed to the earthquake relief fund from North Taranaki. Of this sum the two New Plymouth funds amount to £5197, of which £2237 7s Sd has been given through the Mayor’s fund. This docs not include £l7l given specifically to the Red Cross Society. Other parts of North Taranaki are responding well to the appeal, considering the number of the residents. The practical sympathy that is being extended by country districts is fully evidenced by the subscription lists in the country centres. The Waitara fund, for instance, has grown to £B5O, Okato to £166,' Urenui to £lOB and Warea to £6O. The approximate total of the funds of all North Taranaki districts mentioned is £6lBl.

Total 2237 7 8 The following correction is advised: Miss A. Hancock should be Miss A. Hanover 6s. A special collection at the Knox Presbyterian Church, Fitzroy, in aid of the funds, netted £5 6s on Sunday evening.

NEW PLYMOUTH COMMITTEE EXECUTIVE OFFICES SECURED The New Plymouth Central Earthquake Relief Committee met on Saturday night, the Mayor, Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths, presiding. There were also present Mesdames Griffiths, C. H. Weston, I. M. Kidd and A. Patrick, Messrs J. McLeod, F. T. Bellringer, R. W. D. Robertson, A. F. Sandford, W. D. Armit, P. E. Stainton, B. Hume, (Red Cross Society) and F. J. Hill (secretary). . It was reported that offices in King’s Building had been secured free of charge and furnished by the Chamber of Commerce.

In view of the generous response to the appeal for funds, the house-to-house collection is to be abandoned. A donation of £lOO was received from the Master Butchers’ Association. Missn E. Hickey, Opunake, forwarded a donation of jewellery. • The Rev. W. S. C. Stephens, Fitzroy, wrote suggesting the formation of an emergency ..corps in preparation for any similar disaster which might at s°mc time or another overtake New Plymouth. This was thought inadvisable, but it was decided to draw the attention of the New Plymouth Fire Board to the necessity for an adequate supply Of fire extinguishers with one or two depots-in the'business area. The offer of Mr. W. Roberts to give a geld , watch to be disposed of as the committee thought fit was accepted; Mr. Hume reported on the activities of the Red Cross Society. Fifty cases of various supplies had been sent away and a squad of fully trained V.A.D.’s was in readiness should extra patients Come to the hospital. Forty-three fainir lies, of 111 persons, altogether, were being provided for, and 1.369 articles of clothing, footwear, etc., had been given out. Donations had totalled £157.

Mr. Hume explained that his committee was of the opinion that the donations to its funds were intended for expenditure on immediate relief. This principle was agreed to, it being also resolved that a sub-committee of the central committee be empowered to refund to the Red Cross Society ‘payments made for food, etc., supplied to refugees on orders from the relief committee, and that the Res Cross Society be asked to expend their donations on immediate relief, any balance to be handed to the central fund.

Exception was taken by Messrs Bellringer and ' Sandford to statements heard “that the Government should not have the handling of the central fund as in the previous earthquake. ■ All the money had not been spent, and it might not be spent to the best advantage in -this instance.” They stressed the fact that the Government was the proper authority to handle the fund and would see that it was spent on approved methods of relief only. Mrs. T. M. Avery, representing the District Nurse Committee, was appointed to the central committee.

Messrs Griffiths, List, Burgess and Robertson, and Mrs. Patrick were appointed an executive committee to deal with matters of urgency. To simplify the matter of tracing and locating refugees it was decided to send periodical lists to the Y.M.C.A. at Palmerston North of refugees who were, or had been, in New Plymouth. RED CROSS AND ST. JOHN. MEN’S CLOTHING NEEDED. The Red Cross and St. John relief organisation at New Plymouth reported yesterday that 120 refugees had already been supplied with clothing, food and bedding. Twenty-four packages had ■been sent to the Napier and Hastings maternity hospitals on Saturday. People from the affected area who had called in at the relief rooms had been emphatic in their titdtenienis that there was a real need for clothing in Napier. Men’s and boys’ clothing, especially sox, are urgently required. The ladies at the New Plymouth Red Cross rooms will forward the articles if they are 14ft there. Bedding, jam, vegetables and eggs are also required and the

The followin'? is the Mayor’s list:— £ s. d. Previously acknowledged .. 2 137 9 0 Mr. and Mrs. Percy Webster 4 4 0 Staff Electrolux Ltd, N.P. .. Departments Lands and Sur1 12 6 1 vey and Internal Affairs Citizens’ Band (proceeds of 16 ■2 0 Band Concert) Frankley Road Undenominational Sunday School 6 0 (first donation) Frankleigh Park, No. 2 (Proceeds Regimental and Pipe Bands £10 5ts, Rookery Nook Tea £3, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Smith £2 2<=, Mr. and Mrs. E. T. Marsh £1, Mrs. G. H. Stephenson £1. W.S. 10s, Collection 19 \ Box 4 s) IS 1 0 Miss A. Avann Christians of Robe Street 10 0 Hall Misses Gladys and Dorothy 23 0 0 Pearce 1 0 0 Miss E. Jamieson Combined Swimming Clubs’ 10 0 Carnival 5 14‘ " 9 A. G. Lambert Moturoa School Committee 1 0 0 (staff and pupils) 14 0 9 C. Winter Mrs. C. Warren (Courtenay 10 6 Street) 2, 0 0 Albert Rd. School 1 o 0. Proceeds Necklace 1 5 0. Mr .and Mrs. G. H. Looney 2 2 0