XN000022-1972-08-22 — Page 7

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Tuesday, August 22, 1972

BALANCE OF RAINSTORM DONATIONS

MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO COMMUNITY RELIEF TRUST FUND

The Management Committee of the Community Relief Trust Fund is

considering carrying forward a balance of about $4.4 million donated recently

for victims of the June rainstorm disasters.

Members feel this would be in accordance with the wishes of the donors,

and in the best interest of the community as a whole,

They agree that donations to the Fund were intended to relieve actual

hardship among the victims, and not merely inconvenience or loss,

Their view is that the balance of the money subscribed should also be

made available to those who might suffer equal hardship in other, perhaps less

publicised, disasters which occur from time to time.

In a statement today, Mr. G.T. Rowe, Director of Social Welfare and

Trustee of the Fund, said: "The transfer of the balance to the Community Relief

Trust Fund would not mean that victims of the June rainstorms were excluded

from further benefit. Indeed, payments are still continuing.

"It would be merely that they would no longer have exclusive call on

these funds, which would also be made available to others who suffer similar

disasters."

At a meeting earlier this week, the Committee discussed several proposals

on how to dispose of the likely balance before deciding to consider carrying

the money forward.

/One idea