DEPOT MAY CLOSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 140, 15 June 1932, Page 10

DEPOT MAY CLOSE.

FUNDS SOON EXHAUSTED.

OVER 600 MEN EQUIPPED. MANY MORE NEED CLOTHING. Failing adequate response by the public the Hobson Street relief depot, controlled by the Metropolitan Unemployment Relief Committee and established for the receipt and distribution of clothing, must be closed. This announcement was made by the Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, at a meeting of the committee yesterday. He said that by next week the committee would apparently be left with nothing, although requisitions had been received lor the supply of clothing and other necessaries for 000 men in camp, in addition to requests for assistance from suburban local bodies.

The secretary, Mr. J. S. Brigham, submitted a financial statement, which showed that since the committee begun its work £572 had been received in cash and £461 paid out, leaving a balance in hand of £111. The sum of £152 was outstanding for goods ordered, and the only contributions in sight comprised £70, the proceeds of a bridge evening. Unless further contributions came to hand the committee would have not moro than £29 to carry on.

The officer in charge of the depot reported that 039 men in relief camps had been equipped with blankets, clothing boots, etc. It was reported officially that 1515 men had been sent to camps in the Auckland district up to June 10.

It was decided to employ a tailor from the Labour Bureau list to renovate clothing.

The Railway Department wrote stating that parcels would be carried to relief camps at half ordinary rates. The Auckland branch of the New Zealand Dental Association wrote stating that sufficient evidence of the necessity for the association to launch a scheme to assist men in relief camps had not been presented. If evidence was produced, however, the difficulties with which the association would be faced in inaugurating a scheme unaided would be insurmountable.

In response to an appeal by Mr. A. M. Samuel, M.P., for assistance for single men in camp at Karangahake, it was decided to forward seven pairs of blankets, upon verification of the position from the engineer in charge.