"WAS I NOT JUSTIFIED?"

NZ Truth, Issue 1293, 18 September 1930, Page 3

"WAS I NOT JUSTIFIED?"

Bryan O'Donnell's Explanation About Suit and Coal

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Dunedin Representative.)

In the course of a review of the unemployment m Dunedin, "Truth" recently had occasion to ask a few pertinent questions of Mr. Bryan 0 'Donnell, organiser and president of the Unemployed Workers Committee.

"Truth" wanted to know why O'Donnell had taken advantage of two offers of help, the articles m question being a suit of clothes and some coal, when it had reason to believe he .was guaranteed a subsidy adequate to maintain himself and family.

G'DONNELL has taken umbrage to the article, and m a long letter to this paper m which he summarises his activities m connection with the ( unemployed, he gives his reasons fqr accepting the "articles m question. In the course of his remarks, O'Donnell said his organisation objected to relief being distributed by the St. John's Ambulance .Association as "we had already experienced how wormlike one is made? to feel when one is so unfortunate as to be forced to apply for relief to these 'superior' people with whom philanthropy is a pose and sympathy a pretence." These words, therefore, constitute the considered opinion of the organiser and president of the unemployed workers of men and women who devote their time and money assisting their less fortunate brethren. O'Donnell, m reference to the letter which was supposed to have reached him from the R.S.A. offering him work, said it was never posted. Regarding the incident of the suit and the coal, O'Donnell says, referring to "Truth's" .comments: "In your article you make it appear as if I had done something shameful m accepting a suit of clothes. ... . . "I was one of the unemployed; I had been unemployed, for eleven weeks; my clothes were ragged; I had a wife and three children to support; my landlord was threatening to turn us put m the street if I could not pay the rent;- I had no income from any source; and I had done as much as any man m collecting the goods that were being distributed. "Why, then, was I not justified m accepting what I needed when it was j offered me by the person with authority to make the offer?." All very well; but that was one suit less for distribution. O'Donnell, moreover, received the suit of clothes and the coal on Ma.y 27 and 28 respectively, over a fortnight after he had been guaranteed his wages.

O'Donnell says his own. clothes were | ragged and worn and he needed the suit m which to "go about m discharge of his duties." Did he inform the person m charge of the relief distribution that he had been guaranteed his wages? Concerning^ the coal, O'Donnell says this was sent up under, instructions from Mrs. Mclntyre. It had no connection with the relief depot, but was given to Mrs. Mclntyre to dispose of as she thought fit. . / , : V He was not badly off for coal at the time, and told Mrs. Mclntyre so, but the man already had received instructions to deliver it. O'Donnell states that at the time he received this coal he was not m receipt of a penny from anyone. While the vai'ious committees are doing their best, it is high time, however, that .some unity was reached concerning N the distribution of relief. A greater measure of success would result.