BOOTS AND BLANKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 247, 18 October 1929, Page 8

BOOTS AND BLANKETS.

NEEDS OF THE DESTITUTE.

MEN CAN'T GO TO WORK.

MR. SAVAGE MAKES AX APPEAL.

(By Telegraph.—-Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Thursday.

Tlie pitiful plight of unemployed men in Auckland who were unable to proceed to relief work when it was offered them, because they had no boots or blankets, 1 was referred to in the "House of Representatives this afternoon bv Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West). He produced a telegram received during the morning, in which it was stated by the secretary of the Auckland Hospital Board that a deputation from a committee of the unemployed had waited on the Relief Committee requesting a supply of blankets and boots for destitute men leaving for relief works. The board urged the Government to. meet'the necessity urgently. "It is of 110 use to tell these men to go to North Cape or the Bluff, where work may be waiting tliem," said Mr. Savage. "They can't go if they are without boots and blankets." The Minister of Railways (Hon. W. B. Taverner): Oh, we are not telling them that! "I shall hand this telegram over to the Leader of the House, to see what he can do about it," declared Mr. Savage, who wound, up by suggesting that the government would do well to take in hand the work of constructing new railway yards and station at the important junction of Morrinsville. This would be work of an economic character, easily accessible to the unemployed of Auckland.

The deputation referred to in the above telegram was headed by Messrs. J. Purtell and Molloy.

In its reply the committee expressed sympathy with the requests, but the chairman, Mr. W. K. Howit.t, said the board had exceeded its six months' estimate for relief by £6000. Special grants by the Government had been insufficient to meet the excessive expenditures during the winter and the board could not spend more.. Mr. Howitt said the question was a national one, and the liability should fall on the Consolidated Fund. It was the Government's plain duty to equip the camps for the men and to supply proper covering. Also, it should be remembered that some of the richest hospital districts had contributed nothing towards unemployment relief, but Auckland had given generous assistance.

A suggestion that the Government should give special consideration to the needs of destitute men was made in a telegram sent to the Prime Minister and members of Parliament. A reply stated that the question of providing boots and blankets would be brought up in the House at the first, opportunity.