WINTER WORK FUND.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9177, 7 August 1895, Page 3

WINTER WORK FUND.

MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE. The Committee of the Winter Work Fund met at the City Council Chambers yesterday. Present —Hie Worship tho Mayor (in the chair), Messrs H. Thomson, W. R. Mitchell, G. H. McHaffie, J. Penteney, W. E. Samuels, C. Burgess. C. P. Hulbert, J. Brown, J. R. Brunt, J. M. Douglas. Mr Burgess stated that the Labour Bureau report which he had seen wi»s dated sth July, and applied to the previous week. It appeared to him that it was useless publishing a report so late as that was. Mr Thomson said the report appeared on the 26th July, and tho inference was thas it referred to the mouth immediately preceding that date. Tiio Committee did nob refer to it to cast blame on anyone, but to preveut the Premier from comparing with the figures of the Committee the figures of an official report. Had the Committee known that the date of the report had been loft out the Committee would not have referred to it. The Mayor said that as the report appeared on the 26th July he concluded it was up to that date, but it was found that the figures had been' got from the Charitable Aid Board on the 6th July. Referring to the work of the fund he said that since the last meeting the subscriptions had nearly ceased, and last week only £2 lis 6d had come to hand. As far as Christchurch was concerned they had already had to discharge fifty-one men. The Christchurch labour bil! had amounted to £830 7s 6d, and the total collections had reached £1082 143 7d. H« reported that a letter had been received from the Domain Board thankiug the Committee for the labourers sent to the Park, and that fifteen bags of grass seed had been offered by Messrs Kaye and Carter, Loan aud Mercantile Aceucy Company, G. G. Stead, Sawtell and VVachsmau, R. A. Joseph, M. Murphy, W. B. Common and T. Wreaks. A long letter had been sent to the Premier, and letters to Messrs Reeves, Collins and Smith, placing the position before them, and asking if they could do anything. He remarked that it had been suggested that boxes for subscriptions should be placed at the races this week, a suggestion which h« approved of. The Committee had now in baud £500 tor Christchurch, and though the Government was interesting itself in the unemployed they daily besieged the Council Chamber. The Mayor of St. Albans said that they had £11 3s 9d to spend left so far out of their allowance, and they had had to discharge 23 men out of 32, leaving 9 in employment. Mr McHaffie said the Heathoote Road Board had 77. Mr Brown said that Sydenham had 90 employed. Twenty-one had been dia. charged, but room would be found for about the same number more. , Mr Burgess said the Avon Road Board had 76 in work. Mr Brunt said Linwood was employing 37. Mr Douglass said that there were 18 on at Woolston. This made a total of 407, inoluding 100 employed in Christchnroh. The Mayor explained that, sinoe the pro. posed entertainment by the Savage Clnb had fallen through, it was suggested that the Committee itself should organise one. On the motion of Mr Brunt, a Sub-Corn, mitfcee was appointed to make enquiries concerning an entertainment and, if offers of assistance were satisfactory, to proceed. Votes of thanks were accorded to the firms who had contributed gross seed, after which the meeting closed.