'UTTER NONSENSE'

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 103, 4 May 1931, Page 7

'UTTER NONSENSE'

WOMEN SLEEPING OUT. DENIAL BY MINISTER OF HEALTH. STAGE-MANAGING EFFORTS. INQUIRIES IN AUCKLAND. "Statements have been made that women have had to sleep outdoors from sheer necessity," said the Hon. A. J. Stalhvorthy, Minister of Health, to-day. "Such talk," he added, "is utter nonsense, and an insult to Auckland zens. Social workers of long service in the city, such as Major Gordon, with over 25 years' work to he.- credit, aro rightly indignant at such statements." The Minister said hi had made tha closest inquiries. Plain-clothes officers of both sexcij had patrolled Auckland and "Wellington at night , time, but had failed to find v/omen sleeping out of doors. Any woman in such, straits need only apply to tkj Hospital Board, the Y.W.C.A. in Upper Queen Street, or the Samaritan Office of the Salvation Army in Wellesley Street, a:: i her needs would be met. "It has been reported io me," said the Minister, "that an orga-ised plan is afoot to arrange for a numlspr of women to sleep out of doors on a certain night, with a view to discrediting' all efforts which are being made on behalf of those who are having a real struggle at the present time. I cannot believe that any decent people can be found to exploit so basely the necessities of their lesd fortunate sisters."