EXIT THE CADGER.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 283, 29 November 1929, Page 8

EXIT THE CADGER.

BUSINESS MEN AND CHARITY.

"HARD LUCK" STORIES AT A

DISCOUNT.

AUCKLAND PLAN EFFECTIVE

"Come at once: job waiting at £5 per week." Armed with such a weapon it was possible until about a year ago in Auckland for a professional cadger to extract from a number of business men the amount of the supposed train fare to the country. A pair of soleless shoes, and, on at least one occasion, a borrowed baby were successful aids in touching sympathetic hearts and pockets. Then someone conceived the brilliant idea o {forming the Business Men's Relief Service. "The result is said to have been magical, not only in freeing the business section of the city from the operations of professional cadgers, but also in wisely distributing in a little over a year about £1400 to deserving cases t»f charity.

The relief service is controlled by a general committee of 2o leading business men and its activities are directed by an active executive. The organising missioner is the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour, who personally investigates all cases, and when desirable provides relief.

When a business man using the services is approached with a request for assistance lie simply gives the applicant a card of introduction to the organiser. The member of the service who introduced the person is then supplied with a report upon the case, together with a statement of the assistance given. Once a person lias made an application and presented a card it is not necessary for that person again to apply to any business man as the case is placed on the relief list and receives benefit as long as warranted by the circumstances. "Bussiness Men are Generous." "The great majority of business men in Auckland are very generous, and always willing to help genuine cases," said Mr. Serimgeour to an interviewer, "but when they are approached by many people telling the same 'hard-luck' story, and remembering that they have been 'let down' on previous occasions, the good * case is often turned away with the bad, simply because there is an element of doubt." Tho op~3tioii of the relief service reduces to a minimum the danger of a genuine appeal boliig turned down. The process of sorting the good from the bad is an intricate one, but by a careful recording and filing system track is kept of every application, uy Mr. Serimgeour, who has intimate knowledge of what he terms the "regular army." Calls on the service each day are many, and the extent of relief given is made possible only by tlie fact that a large number of business men are affiliated with the service, and subscribe generously to its funds. Subscribers include commercial firms, banks, newspapers, insurance offices, shops, factories, warehouses, transport services, solicitors, doctors; minister, clubs, etc., welfare organisations and private individuals. Tribute to Missioned "The service has conferred an immense boon on business men," the chairman of the committee said when asked for an opinion. "It has shown the great value of co-ordination in dispensing charity to deserving cases in a city like Auckland, and in a way which is almost ridiculous it ihas eliminated the professional cadger. In my own case, I may say that whereas formerly I was pestered by frequent callers

whose requests I had not time to investigate I do not now receive more than about one application in a month. "When the service commenced,' said the chairman, "I was interested to note that out of twelve cards of introduction given by me only four were presented to the organising missioned We all feel that Mr. Scrimgeour has dons excellent work, and we are grateful for the fact that through tihe generosity of a city firm his contribution to the service is free. We thus have the satisfaction of knowing that every penny of what we contribute to the fund is distributed in charity. The fund is operated as you would" operate a petty cash imprest account and the executive _ issues cheques as payments are authorised.' No More Sponging. "One of the best things that has happened in Auckland," was the comment of the managing director of one of the largest concerns in the city. "The service is so economically administered that it pays 20/ in the f, and it has effectively dealt with the type of indivi : dual who formerly sponged on five or six business men with the same story. Wβ appreciate the work of the missioner, who investigates cases on the spot, and we feel that the service as worthy of full support." During the winter the service undertook to° disburse a proportion of the Poppy Day fund oil behalf of the K.S.A., and in this manner hundreds of returned men were assisted, about £400 being dispensed without cost to the R.S.A. The committee has plans in hand for the extension of the scheme next year, when it is hoped to link up members of the various professions and to make tie service available for individuals. For instance, a supply of cards left for the use of wives Avhose husbands are generally away from home during the day would at "least spare the fair sex the ordeal of listening to harrowing tales of woe.