WORKLESS RELIEF.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 99, 29 April 1933, Page 11

WORKLESS RELIEF.

COMMITTEE'S WORK.

ACTIVITIES IN CITY.

FUNDS NEEDED THIS WINTER,

A statement to the effect that the Auckland Metropolitan Unemployment Relief Committee would be needed agaiu this winter and that it would require substantial funds to carry on was made by the Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, at the annual meeting of the committee yesterday afternoon. The majority of Auckland local bodies and social organisations were represented at the meeting, which was held in the City Council chamber.

Moving the adoption of the annual report, details of which have already been published, the Mayor said he would like to mention a few of those who had helped to make the work of the committee_ a success, although he knew there was the danger that he might overlook some whose names were not before him. The town clerk, Mr. J. S. Brigham, as secretary and treasurer, had given a lot of his time to the job, while Mr. R. Grieve, a retired Government officer, had taken charge of the Hobson Street depot without payment. Mr. Munro, a retired headmaster, had acted as investigation officer, and Mr. L. Marks had done valuable work in controlling the boot pool, which had shown a profit of £100. The work of the Rev. T. Halliday, who had conducted the meat pool, was worthy of particular comment. Vegetables from the garden in the Domain had been issued free to those patronising the mea's) pool, but the output had not always met the demand, and the committee would be pleased to receive gifts of vegetables from citizens. Mr. Hutchison also mentioned the help given the committee by Mr. Slaughter and the numerous organisations and societies which had lent a hand. Funds From Art Unions. Referring to the coming winter, the Mayor said that the 5000 men who had been helped last winter would require to have new supplies of clothing and boots, while there would also be new men to provide for. There was a prospect of getting some assistance from art union funds. Opinions would be divided as to the propriety of accepting money from that source, but if any of the committee had doubts he was prepared to take the moral responsibility. The money was badly needed. There was a prospect of getting about £0000 from several art unions, and that, with the £1500 in hand, would about meet the minimum requirements for the winter.

Mr. S. Donaldson, Mayor of Newmarket, said that the committee's work had been greatly appreciated. The unemployed, however, were being placed in a humiliating position, particularly with reference to the reduction of relief when they had been able to find additional work. He did not think that men should be compelled to go into camps.

Mr. J. Guiniven, Mayor of Takapuna, also expressed appreciation of the committee's work. Takapuna, he said, had felt it a duty to help their own people as far as possible. He agreed with Mr. Donaldson that married men should not be sent to camps. Outside Work. In reply to Mr. Donaldson's reference to outside work, Mr. Hutchison said there appeared to be some hitch between the Unemployment Board and the local officers, as ho had received the assurance of the deputy-chairman of the board, Mr. J. S. Jessep, that if relief workers secured outside work to supplement their relief pay they would not be penalised. It would not be left to the relief workers themselves to take action, and unless the matters put before the Hon. A. Hamilton in Auckland recently were put right there would have to be public meetings to- let the Government know that the community would no longer put. up with the present treatment of the unemployed. As far as he was aware the local bodies were bearing their full share of unemployment work.

In moving that the committee should be re-elected, the Rev. Jasper Calder said that the Social Workers' Association felt that excellent work had been done by the committee in difficult circumstances.

Archdeacon Holbrook replaced Father O'Neill on the committee, the latter being absent from the committee. A vote of thanks to the Mayor and to Messrs. W. J. Stilwell, Mayor of Mount Albert, T. McNab, Mayor of Mount Eden, and Mr. Slaughter was moved by Mr. L. Marks, representing the Jewish Benevolent Society. It was seconded by the Eev. G. E. Moreton and carried with applause.