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Floods Relief Fund.
This Morning.
Tlio members of tho Exooutlvc Committee of
the Queensland Floods Roliof Fund met as
usual at tho Town Hull this morning. Present:
5Icssrs. C. II. Buzacott (ohairman), R. B.
Sheridan, M.L.A., R. Jacscliko, and A. R. II.
Pictzclccr (lion, secretary). 5Ir, Price Fletcher
(Visiting Committeo) was also present.
Tho minutes of tho procodingH at Wednesday
morning's mooting were read and confirmed.
Amongst tho correspondence wore tlio follow
ing lotters To Maior Des Vceux, Queensland
Dofoneo Force, as follows: "I havo tho honour
to ndviso tho receipt of yours of tho 8tii instant
with onolosurcs respecting the loss suffered by
Private G. A. Bonham, of tho 1st Queens-
landers, in tho late llood. My committeo havo
decided that tho wholo of tho monoy subscribed
by tho men of E Company bo returned in order
thatitmuy bo dovotedtotho purposo for wliich
it was specially contributed. I enclose chcquo
for tho amount — namely, £13 lis." From
a family of tiio namo of Boorrow, of Logan
Villago, asking for reliof. From H. E. Ashloy,
Nonnanby Distillery, South Pino, recoramond-
ing tho cases of W.1 Riclxio, P. Noilson, 51.
Honncssy, Josoph Davis, J. Cullamoro, and 8.
Mole, of tho South Pino, for reliof in tlio form
of seed. It was decided to oomply with the
request. Brom tho Bccnlcigh Committeo stat
ing < that thoy had relieved up to date 173
families, on an avorago of fivo persons each
family. From W. Wiadop, ohairman Toora-
bul Divisional Board, recommending a family
named Richardson, living in a cellar at Break
fast Creek, and who had bcon flooded out, for
relief.
A tologram was rocoived from Mr. Walter
Adams, M.L.A., asking if tho Central Com
mittee would relievo the distress in tho Bunda-
berg district. Tho secretary was requested to
reply in tho affirmativo, and ho sent a telegram
at once in those terms.
5£r. Fletcher said ho was at Loganholme on
tho previous day, and 5Ir. Castles askod lum if
ho was to go on with the delivery of tho stores
or not. Tho Seouetary said certainly ho was,
so far as stores in hand woro ooncerncd.
Tlio report to bo presented in tho afternoon
to tho General Committee was then considered
in detail and adopted. A request was mado to
tho Observer reporter that tlio report might be
published in that day's issuo, so that tho mem-
oere of tho Goueral Committeo might become
familiar with ita tonne before tho meeting.
Tins Afternoon's Meetino.
A meeting of tiio Genoral Committee will bo
held at tho Town Hall Council Chambers this
afternoon to receive the progress report of the
Executive Committee and deoido upon tho
manner of the final distribution of tno fund.
Tho following report will bo submitted
Your committeo bog to report that sinco tlio
General Committeo met on the 14th Fobruary,
tho additional sum of £3264 has been banked to
tlio credit of tiio Floods Roliof Fund in Brisbane,
makiug tho gross receipts to date £7726. Tho cxr
ponditure, which has been carried out strictly
within tho tines of tho General Committco's re
solution, has been about £1000, making with tho
disbursemcuta . previously reported a total outlay
of £2300, which has been applied to tiio relief of
a largo number of sufforers — estimated at 386
families— iu tho several flooded districts. To tlm
sum must bo added a furtbor amount of which
tho local committees have not yet furnished
returns. Tho balauco remaining to tho credit of
tho fund to-day is £6300, and your committee
believe, haviug regard to contributions not yot
banded io, that tho whole of this amount will bo
availablo for distribution.
Tho Visiting Committeo nppoiuted by your
meetiug on tho 14tli. February havo so far as
practicable discharged tho duty intrusted to them,
and havo prcsonteu tho auuexed report, nccom-
Sauicd by a recomracndatiou as to tho plau of
istribiitiOD. This report and recoromondation
meet tho approval of tho Exccutivo Committee,
but a sorious difference having bocu disclosed as
betweeu tho Visiting Committeo and tho Bcon-
leigh Distributing Committeo, your committeo
havo resolved to invito fresh instructions, and
submit cony of resolution passed by thcro for tho
consideration of this mcoting. Your committee
estimate tliat in tho Logan district alono tho plan
of distribution thoy recommend will, during tho
next thrco mouths, absorb £3600 of tno avauablo
bolanco; and as roliof is also needed in tho
Ipswich, Warwick, Caboolturo, Maryborough,
and Bundaborg districts, whilo it will bo still
advisable to grant sums uot exceeding £10 in cosh
in a few exceptional cases whoro small money
gifts may be doomed more appropriate than
orders for domcstio necessaries would bo, your
committeo are of opinion that tho prospective
margin botweon incomo and expenditure is not
too largo to mcot probablo contingencies.
Your committee desiro to point out that whilo
(1) a ratablo money distribution in proportion to
tho losses sustained, or (2) a grant cither by order
for goods or cash in ono sum would much simplify
tbo future administration of the fund, there is too
much reason to fear that by neither of these
methods would any guarantee bo socurod for tho
distribution being conducted in tho mannor in
tended by tiio great body of contributors. Whilo,
thoroforo, desirous of bringing their labours to a
close at tho earliest practicable -timo, thoy think
it would bo inexpedient to attempt a final distri
bution now. Thoy advise that, in future, roliof
should, as a general rule, bo confined to tho issuo
of orders for domcstio necessaries, each order pro
viding for a period not exccodiug ono month on
tho scalo rccommendod by the Visiting Committeo.
Your committee also adviso that provision bo
mado at this mcoting for the systematio audit of
tho Relief Fund accounts, and that application he
mado to the Hon. tho Colonial Treasurer for ti\o
services of one of tho Govornmont auditors.
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