Robert Wells Response to Harvey Downer Letter, 1959

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Letter Image Page 2 (45k)

22 April, 1959

Mr. Harvey Downer and Others,
Indian Islands,
Fogo District.

Dear Sirs:

Re your letter of April 13th. I gather that you have decided against moving to Harbour Grace. The thing to do now is for each family to decide where it is going to move and then to contact the local Welfare Officer immediately giving him all the information set out in the booklets which I am enclosing. Your local Welfare Officer will then forward this information to his Department in St. John's and at the same time I will give the Department of Welfare all the information on Indian Islands which I possess.

When the Department of Welfare has received this information a decision will be made concerning the actual giving of assistance. Once the decision to assist the people of Indian Islands has been made by the Department of Welfare, you will be informed of it. If it is favourable you can then move secure in the knowledge that you will receive Government assistance up to the maximum amount of $600 per family. The assistance is given in this way: the move is made first and then each man must present the bills of the cost of moving, or affidavits as to the cost, to the Department of Welfare, and then the Department will pay the amount of the cost up to, but not exceeding $600 per family.

Mr. Downer and Mr. Sheppard will remember that in our meeting with Premier Smallwood the Premier gave his assurance that the people of Indian Islands would be assisted in their move

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by the Government, provided they were all prepared to move, and the Government approved of the place or places to which they were moving. It is important now that you give your Welfare Officer this information as soon as possible so that a decision can be made.

Sincerely yours,

ROBERT WELLS
Provincial Economist

RW/bd



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