The Monticellonian., 1918-11-29

pedionary force in record time finishing fourroem apartment, with bath, every hour. His apartment houses much like the cantonment buildings at the army camps in Canada and the United States. and housing accommodations were soon ready for 1000 people,
 These various forms of temporary relief caused the expenditure of about S4000000, and while this imperative task being performed plans Were formulated for the rebuilding of the dev- astated area. the settlement of claims and the care of dependents
 The Canadian government, after receiving full reports of the property losses and the needs of Halifax for permanent pensions, rehousng, etc, announced that although legal liability rested upon the crown, nevertheless the explosion was incident of the great which had done enormous damage to Halifax and it's environs and for which Halifax was in no may to bame Steam loaded with great cargoeS of explosives sought Halifax harbor to secure convoy across the At lantic to the seat of war, and in numerous in stances the people of the city whose homes had been destroyed did not even know that they were living the edge of volcano. In view of the fact that the French steamship Mont Blanc was "using the harbor in pursuance of the common purpose of the allied nations in carrying on the war" the Canadian government determined to pay all legitimate property losses and establish pen sion fund to for those made dependent by the disaster. The sum of S5,O000O0 had already been appropriated. but an additional sum of S7.00o GOO
 
 city and the Halifax relief commission was ap- pointed and given extraordinary powers to expend the money and afford the necessary relief.
 The commission. consisting of T. Sherman Rog- CTS. K C., chairman Judge William Bernard Wallace and Frederick Luther Fowke, with Ralph F. Bell as secretary, has been hard at work for months strengthening out the tangled affairs of the devastated district, paying claims for dam ages erecting new homes and providing perma- nent pensions for those who were made dependent. The broad powers of the commission were granted by two orders in council and by an act of the Nova Scotia legislature. There many complicated matters to settle that the commis- sioners empowered to their judg ment in settling individual claims, in awarding pensions, in expendng all the money contributed with the exception of special donated for certain purposes and in replannng and rebuild ing the devastated area.
 Through the generosity of the Canadian gov ernment, every individual who lost his home valued at not more than 5000. has already had or is having built for him. free of charge, q home better than the one destroyed by the blast. Claims exceeding 5000 are being settled by the commissioners and 15000 claims for house. hold and personal effects have already been paid. Five hundred people receiving permanent pen sons and disability allowances.
 The Halifax relief commission, upon taking office, secured the services of frstelass firm of architects. and also employed town-planning adviser. There was splendid chance to put over q town-planning scheme, archtecturally and oth- erwise that would be credit to both Halifax and to Canada, and the commission did not overlook the opportunity confronting it. One thousand homes. not only thoroughly practical but beauti- full, have been planned hy the architects. streets and avenues have been laid out in the devastated and the replannng and rebuild ing program is being carried out with the idea of making Halifax more beautiful than
 Months contracts let for 400 houses which were to be completed before winter set in. This work has been done and the remaining per manent homes needed also under way. The houses are artistic in design and of many