THE BRUNNER FUND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5567, 16 May 1896, Page 5

THE BRUNNER FUND.

THE WELLINGTON CONFERENCE. [Per Press Association.! WELLINGTON, Mat 16. At the Brunner conference the report of the committee was presented, recommending that medical examination be made of the sufferers, after which the allowance for each be fixed by the committee. That the sum of J2IOOO be set aside fo? contingencies, such as cost ot funerals, &c, the balance to be invested with the Public Trustee, the interest and principal to be expended on the sufferers, the allowance for each widow and child not to exceed (blank), provision for the children until sixteen years of age, and for the widows till they die, or such circumstances arise as the Public Trustee. shall determine renders payment ; unnecessary or inadvisable, such deter- ! mination to be only upon the advice of the Advisory Board. In the case of the mother's death, the allowance to the children to be increased. Provision also to be made for assisting widows in the purchase ; of house or paying off encumbrances, &c. [ The report was adopted, and the scale : was fixed as follow t — l2s per week for widows. 4s per week for each of the, first two eh 1 "ren a d 3s for c c'a of the others. _ Provision was a-i-o made for pay ing bonuses : to any widow who might marry. The Mayor of Ros3 aiid the , Chairman of the , Westland County Council were added to the Advisory Beard. It was also resolved that the Board take up its duties a fort--1 night hence. It was resolved that all moneys collected be paid in to the credit of the Public Trustee. Mr Stead moved that a public officer be appointed to investigate the necessities of the ' sufferers, and report to a committee 1 consisting of the Premier and Messrs Hislop, Gale, Kirk and Bland, who shall fix the individual payments to the widows for the time being, and define the trust in terms of the resolution of the conference. Carried. It was resolved that a Government audit be made of the payments from the fund up to the time the administration is taken over by the Public Trustee. On the motion of the Premier, it was decided that the conference on its rising , should adjourn until the trust deeds were ready for signature, and reports are re- > ceived from the committee appointed by i the Government officer, when another meeting will be held. . Mr Bland (Brunnerton) on behalf of the sufferers heartily thanked- all who had rendered assistance. The total amount of contributions, according to telegrams to the secretary, is =£23,934, with a probable addition of <£300. This includes JJIOO sent to the Premier from Sydney, but no other Australian contributions. The Conference then adjourned.