Sir,

Apparently there has been correspondence in the local press about confusion over the distribution of funds raised under Rotary's praiseworthy appeal to raise money for victims of the Mittagong bushfire,

I made a decision to donate following an article in the Southern Highland News on November 11 and have not been following this coverage.

I have not met any of the victims.

An article in the Highland Post on November 19 stated that "from day one there was no confusion about how the money would be distributed" and goes on to explain how the plan was to provide for the victims immediate needs.

I do not know that the victims were told on day one, but as a donor there was no confusion on day three, not day one, when the November 11 article stated quite clearly and without qualification that "local victims would be the primary beneficiaries"

If I had known the victims were to receive only $2,000 each I recently heard they received, I would not have bothered to contribute as I would have thought the shire council had the capacity to make such payments.

I consider that one fifth of $42,000 let alone $2,000 would be only of moderate comfort to people traumatised by the loss of their home and having their lives turned upside-down.

Not having followed the correspondence I just hope the "confusion" has not polarised the parties with little hope of reconciliation and compromise.

However, Rotary is well recognised as a worthy organisation with motives beyond reproach and if any other donors, who thought as I did that "local victims would be the primary beneficiaries" and made their views known, I feel confident that Rotary would reconsider the matter.

Clifford Unger

Bowral