HOPELESS, BUT WILLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 129, 2 June 1934, Page 8

HOPELESS, BUT WILLING.

To my door came recently a- young man /of about 24 or 25 years selling hoot polish. After getting this yourig fellow- a cup of 'tea and. something to eat, I got him to tell me about himself. Tin's is what I heard. Ho had been to a camp, but after a few weeks his back gave out, and as there was no doctor available there he had to como back to town. There, I ''believe, he said he was given more work, but again it was too strenuous for him. Now, he said, he had had to give in-his -unemployment card and go on " sustenance allowance (10/ per week). Out of this he pays for a room, food and clothing But he just hates the idea of not working for it. There is nothing to do all day hut wander about, and one gets a had name doing that, so he thought he would try and sell some of this polish rather than stand about the streets. Good on him for that much! Also, to mv surprise, -when I offered him a small sum of money he refused, saying if I'd let him work for it he'd gladly take it. Good on him, again! What is going to be done for fellows like this? I wish those at the head of affairs could be put for one day in this fellow's place, to get a tasto of what it feels like. No home, no parents (they died about four years ago), a room—well, it couldn't be much out of 10/, and certainly not enough food to feed a man,: hopeless and prospectless. What an outlook! I suppose if war was declared to-morrow millions would be found, to finance this, and this man would be gladly accepted as cannon fodder. .- " DISGUSTED