RELIEF DEPOTS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20448, 19 January 1932, Page 8

RELIEF DEPOTS.

DISTRESS NOT DECREASING.

FURTHER SUPPLIES NEEDED.

Reporting to yesterday's meeting of tlie Christchurch Unemployment Committee regarding the Central Relief Depot, Cr. Annie I. Fraer said that last week 250 people visited the new quarters in the basement of the Majestic Theatre. Distress was increasing lather than decreasing. Cr. Fraer said that she desired to record her grateful thanks to the Municipal Electricity Department for wiring the new premises free of cost. She also acknowledged the receipt of one perambulator from Mr Stevens, of New Brighton, and said that she had a great many applications for perambulators. Mr J. W. Woodbury, of the Relief Association's Depot, had made out cards in respect of applicants for relief at the Central Depot, and each applicant had to show his or her card before relief was given. If other depots adopted the scheme it would prevent overlapping. Insufficient Gifts. Mr George Harper said that the lielief Association's depot in Lichfield street received last week 30781b of goods, which was nothing like enough. About 1054 families were supplied with these goods through Cr. Fraer's and the other depots. Most of the families had not been reached with supplies of food, particularly those receiving their relief from the E«v. L. MeMasters's depot in Woolston. The Relief Association had been able to get goods through the Mayor's vote from his Relief of Distress Fund, but that source would come to an end at the middle of the month. "Prom this time onward," 'Mr Harper added, "unless we get farther relief, and voluntary, contributions and money we shall have a very bad time —the distress, as Cr. Fraer says, is increasing rather than decreasing. "We could do with three times the amount of goods we got last week. We received 67 carcases of meat and also repaired 89 pairs of boots.'' \

Salmon for th« Depots. Mr W. "W. Scarff brought up the question of arrangements being made for a supply of salmon from the Waimakariri for the relief depots. He said that four netting licenses were to be issued, and he wondered if they could get the Government to hand them over to the unemployed in preference to private individuals. In one year the four licenses had netted 2400 or 2500 fish, though last year only 700 were netted. He asked why the licensees, should get all these fish, and make a profit, while they might get them for the unemployed. The chairman (Cr. J. K. Archer) said that it was an interesting question as to how far the Government should go in giving a nronopoly to three or four men. Last year the men who held the licenses offered to give to the unemployed all fish, other than salmon, that they netted,- and arrangements were made for the transport of the fish. Unfortunately, the season was not favourable for the other fish. After discussion, the matter dropped, no motion being submitted. MAYOR'S FUND. PROPOSED OLD ENGLISH FAIR.

Matters are in train for the organising of an Old Englisb Fair, to be held for the purpose of augmenting the Mayor's Relief of Distress Fund. Iu a . circular issued by the Town Clerk (Mr J. S. Neville) it is set out : "The extreme distress in the city owing to unemployment, and the *aany calls made upon the Mayor's Rene* of Distress Fund during the past few months make it essential that immediate steps be taken to raise funds in order to provide assistance for urgent, necessitous, and deserving cases, and with this in view it has been suggested to hold a fair and gala to be called Ye Olde English Fair, in which it is hoped to solicit the assistance ot the following societies: Caledonian, Scottish, Hibernian, Cambrian, Lancashire, "West of England, and other friendly societies, and sports bodies. "The gentleman who suggested the holding of the fair has already interviewed a number of representatives of the various societies, sports bodies, etc., and has met with a most hearty response and assurance of their hearty co-operation in furthering the proA meeting is to be held in the City Council Chamber next Monday to discuss the proposal, and if it is decided to bold the fair, to set up the necessary committees to carry out the arrangements'.