Eruption Cost

New Guinea Finds £40,000

AN official report shows that the follow ing expenditure was incurred by the New Guinea Administration following the eruption of the volcanoes at Rabaul in May, 1937, when great damage was done and the population was evacuated: Fares of refugees, £1,934; rationing of European refugees*, £8,233; rationing of natives, £2,o7B—total, less sales and returns 6,755 Rehabilitation of roads, etc. .. 20,881 Medical costs 615 Emergency motor transport .. 1,966 Damage to motor vehicles com mandeered by administration 1,050 Motor hire, subsea uent to emer gency period 1,236 Schooner transport costs .. .. 1,736 Aeroplane 373 Rehabilitation of buildings.. 2.320 Miscellaneous costs 1,141 Total £40,010 The Commonwealth Government also bore expenditure totalling £9,426 in respect of stores and services supplied in the emer gency.

It is noted that when the eruption occurred the Governor of Papua hurriedly assembled what stores were available for relief purposes and sent them to Kokopo by H.M.A.S. “Moresby”; and that he in

tuna ted that the question of payment of those stores did not arise—his government was only too glad to be of some assist ance m the hour of need.

Help For Sufferers In Eruption

The Australian Government has pro vided £lO,OOO, out of which to give finan cial assistance to non-official residents of Rabaul who suffered losses in th,e volcanic eruption of May 29, 1937.

The Administrator, addressing the Leg islative Council on August 24, said that loans would be made at an interest rate not exceeding 4 per cent, and that no in terest would be payable for the first six months.

“We here all appreciate the position of these poor individuals and, as a matter of fact, public subscriptions were about to be raised in some instances”, says the Rabaul Times”. “We are glad to know that tips step will not now be necessary.”