BUSH FIRES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6128, 15 March 1898, Page 3

BUSH FIRES.

. ■ • •• , . — ♦ . . . THE RELIEF FUND. The final meeting of the Bush Fires Relief Committee was held at the City Council Chambers at noon to-day; present —His Worship the Mayor of Christchurch (Chairman), Me3srs E. Smith, W. W. Collins, H. B. Kirk, J. A. H. Marciel, Q. Capper and the Mayor of Linwood. The Chairman said he had visited Little River on Thursday last, and had personally made minute inquiry into the cases which had been brought before the committee at its last meeting. Concerning two of these cases, he found that the residents of Little River approved highly of the action the committee had ; taken in the matter. The case?. : of ; " Hayward and Landrigan were, however, instances of real destitution, and he would ask the committee to give these further consideration. As a further result of his observations, his Worship said that the Little River people were not at all inclined to press their claims upon the committee. In reply to the Chairman, the Secretary said that there was at present .£l9O in hand. After full discussion it was resolved to give .£2O apiece to Hayward and Landrigan, as it was considered that this amount would at all events free them for one year from interest on mortgage. Several members of the committee expressed regret that owing to the greater urgency of niany of the Oxford cases a larger sum could not be allocated. The Chairman having reported that a donation of £o from Mr P. Burke was included in the sum above mentioned, it was decidi >1 to forward the balance of moneys in ' *nd, amounting to JJISO, to the Oxford, Rel...' Committee, and to close the account. Hearty votes of thanks wei'fl passed to the Mayor for his services as chairman, and to the Town Clerk for having so efficiently acted as secretary to the fund. The meeting then closed.