KAITANGATA RELIEF COMMITTEE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3486, 13 June 1879, Page 4

KAITANGATA RELIEF COMMITTEE.

,-,,:. „. -■ • ;"->: b'tt'b'b ' ' ] A special meeting of the Kaitangata Belief ; Committee wai held last night in the City G)uncil chambers^ The following were present:—His Worshipthe Mayor (Chairman), Messrs W.Wilson, W.Pratt, A. Ayen, and

W. H. Smith, Hon Sec. The Chairman said tbat tbe meeting had " been called together for tbe purpose of bearing a letter read whiob he bad received from ' the Hon Beo. of tho fund (Mr Gillies), and .considering the resolutions passed by the central Committee. Both documents have ; been already published. Mr Pratt asked how v the general (present or future) Committee '• was constituted. The Ohairman supposed that the persons .__ now, acting ih Dunedin were designated the *" general Committee. Tbey probably bad been eleoted at a publio meeting there.' Mr Pratt thought, from the allusion to the -Benevolent Committee, that probably the .General Committee consisted of tbe members " of-' that 'Committee, with perhaps a few - others. '

Letters were read by the Ohairman from Messrs W. 8. King and Hulbert, excusing themselves for absence from the meeting, and making suggestions as to the disposing of the Kaitangata fund. Mr W.H. Smith bad every confidence in lhe Central Committee, and did not think tbe Ohristchuroh Committee conld go outside the regulations proposed at Dunedin. There was no doubt that there might be accidents caus- - ing distress other than those connected with •' mining, such as accidents by floods or by ' railway. The fund should be applied to tbe relief of distress caused by any accident of the kind. It was not to be expected that the fuhd shduld be applied for ever to keeping • the widows and ohildren of those who were lulled at Kaitangata, who would veiy probably be able to provide for themselves sooner vor 'titer.

-Vi Hr Ayers thought that if the Provinces » were going to supplement thiß fund annually, aa he understood was tbe intention, there should be local Committees.

Mr Wilson bad a resolution to move, whioh would, he thought, meet the views of the last two speakers. On the suggestion of the Bey H. 0. M. Watson be had introduced into his resolution a proposal that the Mayors of the several boroughs Bhould be members of the Central Committee.

The Chairman thought that Ohristchurch bad no moral or legal olaim upon the fund, whiob bad decidedly been collected for Kaitangata alone. Mr Ayers said that the suggestion of the Central Committee had opened tbe question of applying tbe fund to acoidents occurring in anyjjart of the Oolony. Mr Smith would like to see provision made for other than mining accidents. The Ohairman thought that the presentfund should be left entirely to the Dunedin Committee, and the meeting might pass a resolution saying co, perhaps suggesting that th 6 fund ihould not be confined to mining acoidents.

.Mr Ayen thought that the fund ehould be a general accident fund— one for New Zealand.

Mr Pratt agreed with Mr Ayers. Mr Wilson moved the resolution to whicb he had previously referred, but ifc did nofc find • seconder. -"• The Chairman would suggest that a resolution to the following effect should be passed— "That the Committee generally agree with tiie terms contained in the printed circular forwarded to the Mayor of Christchurch, but if they may be allowed to offer a suggestion they incline to the opinion that any surplus ' fund should be available not only for mining ' casualties, but also for acoidents by floods and railway." Mr Pratt suggested the substitution of tbe following words for those after " but also," ' " for the relief of widows and ohildren left destitute from acoidents of any kind." The Mayor accepted the substitution. Mr Wilson moved tbe above as a resolution.'

Mr Ayers seconded the motion, which was carried.

The Ohairman said he would forward the resolution to Dunedin.

.-' The Committee then rose.