AIRING GRIEVANCES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 156, 4 July 1931, Page 10

AIRING GRIEVANCES.

CONDITIONS AT SHELTER. COMPLAINTS OF A FEW. DEPUTATION TO BOARD. A deputation from the Unemployed Workers' Movement waited on Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the Hospital Board, and Mr. W. K. Howitt, chairman of the relief committee, at the board offices in connection with some of their grievances. Mr. Bart. Clark, of the City Mission, and Mr. C. N. Newman, chief relieving officer, were also present.' " •. < '

One of - the .chief complaints was that the shelter provided no for washing'the clothes of those-who frequented it. The'single men of the deputation complained ; that not. enough hot water was provided in the shower bath, and that in consequence, some of the latecomers had to do without a bath. Sometimes the meat provided at meals was too much cooked, and often the tea was weak. The morning meal, they thought, was served at too early an'hour. Another complaint was made by a man who did not go to the shelter, but got an- allowance of food from the board, that out of lAlb of mutton lie got there were' only iliree chops,, the rest being fat.

It has ;been, customary for .the relief office, se.eing- that - the Hospital Board subsidises the shelter,' td 'tell men who were withiir walking distance of the place to- go there' f6r a bed and meals. The men • wanted-a definition of what walking distance meant —one mile, two miles or three miles. In answer to this latter question,' Mr. Wallace said that when he was a boy he had to walk four miles to school every day. The men did not want former times. . quoted to rhem; they were living in more .enlightened days.' ill - . Bart Clark admitted that inability :o wash clothes at the shelter was a drawback, but said it would be impossible at present to make that provision tor 210 meli. 'With regard to more hot water for showers, he was trying to increase the amount.' The complaint with regard to the overcooked meat and the tea was one in which all. the men were not agreed, and!it was.impossible to please everyone. The members of the board saddr.that they were glad to hear the praise given to.the fine porridge provided, and 'Mr. Howitt, said he knew no food better than good Scottish oatmeal, a-remark which caljed forth'instant agreement. The men were told that early rising-was. good for them. It.;.waS. pointed out to those who. made,the complaint about the fat mutton, that it showed that the sheep' were of prime quality.. The men . caused some surprise. when they said the shelter'was too much like a gaol, but were .told that siich a statement was'ridiculous..' "Isn't it more like an army camp?'' asked Mr. Bart Clark; but the' emphatic reply 1 " was - that they knew nothing of army camps. . : r. The men said that-both at-the shelter and at 1 the relief- office) they, had not always .got' civility. '"If .that is. really go/ 5 replied Mr. Newman, /'there is the other side that some of the -applicants for relief' aa-e' most :overbearing s and rude," which''statement was endorsed by the meiubers->oi-the board. .: • ,

The men, wlio were accompanied by a woman.- left the- hoard- office, to see if they could get an interview wjtli the Mayor, 7 -to'ask if- the' City Baths could be given" for.; the ; use. ; of 1 unemployed men ohe day in the week.. Iri parting, they said they had nothing hgainatdndividual .members of the board, -but they were against the way -the wdrkers had been "turned down" by the Government, so that* they had to gQ cap in; hand to seek charitable aid. . '