UNEMPLOYMENT

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 170, 18 April 1928, Page 12

UNEMPLOYMENT

Sir, —Among the unemployed at the present time there is a class which has a special claim on the generous-hearted people of Wellington, and 1 am instructed by the committee which 1 represent to make an appeal on its behalt. 1 refer to those who, through accident or mislortune, cannot do work that can only be done by a man who is able-bodied. Some of them have seen better days, many of them have families, and with Hie winter coming on their condition is often desperate. Last winter, it will be remembered, a sub-committee of the Mayor's committee was set up to deal with the dimcult problem, which it did successfully in many almost hopeless cases.. Owing to constant and clamant appeals for Help, the committee has continued to meet during the summer, and at present it is working under the auspices ot the Red Cross Society. The class of work that it is doing may be judged iropt the tollowing instance: A man ot about 55 '■ears of'age applied for help some mouths *go. He had been a steward on a steamship, but on account of his age, and the fact that he was suffering from Bright's disease, he was discharged, biuee then he has tried every iwssible avenue of employment without success. He has been driven to great straits, and but for tile kindness of a mate in allowing him to sleep on a sofa in his room, lie would hare been spending his nights in the open. lie has been provided with food by the Social Welfare . Committee for some time. Almost hopelessly, he continued to make application to us for work of some kind, but none could be found. As a last resort, wo tried to make arrangements ior him to be sent home to London, where he has a son. This was his own desire, but when everything was complete, he came before us in such a slate of physical collapse, that all thought of sending him to London seemed out of the question. In his present state, he might drop dead in the street. Application’ was then made for his admission to Wellington Hospital, through the Social Welfare Committee, which was thoroughly sympathetic. He was sent to be medically examined before admission. After examination, a medical certificate was presented to us, which had been sent to the Red Cross Society, stating that he was considered to be in quite a fit state to travel to England. The man himself declared that it sent iie would never reach England. This being also the firm conviction of every member of the committee, it was decided not to send him. But what was to be done with the unfortunate man? There seemed no way out. A suggestion was made by one of the committee that pernaps a corner could be found fqr hinj tn the Home of Compassion. This idea commended itself, and a statement of the case was made to the sister in charge. Her reply was, “Send him at once.” He went, and was medically examined, and declared to be suffering so seriously in both the kidneys and the heart that ho is not allowed out of bed. He has found at last a haven if rest after all his buffetings. Of course, the committee has to deal with a great variety of cases, and many of the applicants are quite able for any kind of light job. We have many applications for help to pay arrears of Tent to prevent them becoming homeless. Sometimes a man appears in rags, and to be given some clothes,, so that ho can go to look for work with some hope of getting it. ... It is mainly in these three directions that appeal is made for help, and Cap.fain Galloway will be glad to receive at the Red Cross rooms, 63 Dixon Street, any. money donations, any cast-off clothing or boots, that may be sent in answer to this appeal. Any offers of odd jobs nnd light employment of any kind will be speci•ally welcome.-! am, Chairman of Unemployment Committee of Red Cross Society. z Wellington, April 17.