Help urged for destitute people

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33869, 14 June 1975, Page 16

Help urged for destitute people

The director of Catholic Social Services in Christchurch (Father T. (J. Cahill) has suggested that the Government provide money to help destitute people to pay bonds to obtain rental accommodation.

Father Cahill, in his annual report on the activities of the organisation, said many people were unable to get accommodation because they could not raise the money required to meet the bonds.

■“lt is not unusual to find old and shabby, poorly furnished flats with inadequate .facilities being let for as much as $35 a week,” he said. ; "In most cases a bond must be paid as well which is the equivalent of a fortnight’s rent. There are many people in poor circumstances who are unable to find such a bond “Perhaps there shown be

(some provision for the bond (to be paid for beneficiaries lby the Social .Welfare Department.

( “Payment of rents of up to; ($35 weekly by a family does; [not leave much for food and; ; clothing and it makes saving l [virtuaMv impossible.” ' Father Cahill noted that in the last year there had been [an unprecedented shortage [of reasonably priced rental accommodation. “There are dozens of married couples and solo parent families who are desperate to obtain a reason ably-priced ! roof over their heads,” he ; said.

“It is very difficult to help ■people help themselves when Ithev are plagued by accommodation problems."

Postponed.—Heavy overnight rain forced the postponement of first-round play in the $150,000 Philadelphia Golf Classic.

Hole in one.—B. K. Hempseed holed id one, for the first time at Hagley yesterday. He scored his -“ace” at the 154 yard twelfth, using a 4-wood.