RELIEF OF DISTRESS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 153, 10 April 1933, Page 5

RELIEF OF DISTRESS

APPEAL BY THE GOVERNOR. NATIONAL EFFORT URGED. OPENING OF A FUND. (Special to the "Guardian.") WELLINGTON, April 9. "On the eye of our departure for an official visit to the inhabitants of Western Samoa and Rarotonga, Lady Bledisloe and I wish to make an appeal to the generous sympathies of the people of New Zealand," said the GovernorGeneral (Baron Bledisloe) in a statement issued to-night. "Nono of us can feel indifferent to the probability that, through economic causes beyondtheir control, many people in various parts of the Dominion will be faced during the coming winter with severe privation and, in some cases, actual want, in spite of Government, municipal <and other publicly administered measures for relief and the patriotic and self-sacrificing efforts on the part of many philanthropic and charitable organisations whose members have laboured voluntarily without cessation year after year (and with special strenuousness during the last twelve months) in the task of alleviating distress and whose untiring activities will, we hope, continue to attract the measure of sympathetic encouragement and practical support which the public has extended to them in the past. These are days of adversity for all of us hut to those whose impovr erishment is the direct result of loss of regular occupation and the means of support which such occupation assured them and to their families in times or normal prosperity, it is only natural that'the outlook for the winter months should seem dreary and depressing. "The recipients of jmblic relief no doubt include some persons unworthy of benevolent consideration but these are relatively few and should not be allowed to blind us to the crying need for generous help during the coming winter to the deserving destitute, or affect our inclination to play our part in satisfying it. The consciousness that it may, be difficult effectively to increase to any material extent the ulready heavy compulsory burdens inu posed upon taxpayers and ratepayers, impels us to appeal—with the concurrence of my Ministers—to any of those throughout the Dominion whose means (althohgh necessarily curtailed by the present serious economic stress) will permit, to make any suitable contributions that they may feel able and disposed to make—in the form of food commodities (such, for example, as sheep and beef cattle, butchers' meat, eggs, fish, potatoes and other vegetables, butter and cheese), clothing especially material for making new clothes), boots, coal and fire-, wood, free transport, or money—to a fund'to be designated the 'GovernorGeneral's Winter Relief Fund.' "Those to whom we now earnestly appeal do not exclude all members of the farming community, who, however serious their present economic plight, have at least on their farms the means of subsistence which are not so easily accessible to manv impoverished townspeople. If those who feel willing and able to respond to this appeal would kindly indicate as early as possible the nature- and amount of their proposed gifts (and, if specially- desired, the district to which they are to be allocated) in a letter addressed to "The Secretary, Governor-General s Winter Relief Fund, Government House, Wellington," a grateful acknowledgment will be sent by Lady Bledisloe and myself. "In the case of gifts in kind, suggestions will subsequently be made by the distributing authorities as to the date of their delivery, and the addresses to which they should be sent. Monetary donations or promises of money may be sent to the secretary on any date convenient to the donors, the earlier the better. It would be appreciated if contributors of produce or other goods who can spread their gifts over a period ot three or four months would indicate the weekly or monthly quantities which can be supplied. Unless they make at the same time a request to the contrary, it will be assumed that they have no objection to their names and the nature of their contributions being published in the newspapers. "In order to avoid duplication of effort and overlapping, which the creation of a separate distributing organisation would involve, it has been decided to utilise, the adequate machinery already in existence for distribution in the various urban centres. 1 "In the hope that others will follow suit, so far as their means permit, her Excellencv and I propose, by revising our scale of expenditure, to make an initial contribution of £IOO to the Fund as well as 12 fat sheep now grazing on the Government House paddock at Wellington. "This is admittedly an unusual appeal, but the circumstances are unprecedented and call for an unprecedented effort on the part of every section of the community. It is for this reason that Lady Bledisloe and I feel that we should be failing in our duty if we did not use such effort as may he in our power to assist that large and growing number of deserving peoole who, alter two years of hope deferred and the lack of means to enjoy on any but the most meagre scale the ordinary amenities of life, are faced with acute mental suffering and severe material discomfort in the struggle to maintain health and physical efficiency." MtD-CANTERBURY APPRECIATION. MR J. CONNOLLY'S OFFER. Early response to his Excellency's appeal, has been made by Mr J. Connolly, M.P., who has donated £lO in cash toward the purchase of blankets and 40 fat .sheep, and this morning he sent the following telegram to the

Governor-General's secretary : "I desire you respectfully convey to their Excellencies, Lord and Lady Bledisloe, the, congratulations and appreciation of the residents of Mid-Can-terbury on the excellent appeal and practical proof and sympathetic interest their Excellencies haye again shown for those of our. people who* find it difficult to make provision for themselves and their families at the present time, when his Excellency sent out his wireless broadcast last evening. lam sure a ready response will result and I desire to donate 40 fat sheep, or their value in cash, and also £lO to purchase blankets and warm clothing, with the request that these be distributed in Mid-Canterbury."