RELIEF OF DISTRESS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 201, 22 May 1931, Page 2

RELIEF OF DISTRESS

Mayor’s Committee Meets

ORGANISATION FINALISED Further progress was made yesterday afternoon with the organisation for the relief of distress during the coming winter under the Mayor's Relief Fund Committee.

The meeting fully discussed the establishment of a central depot for food and clothing, and district depots to attend to the needs of the suburbs. Eventually it was agreed that the Town Hall, or some place in the vicinity, be the central depot for foodstuffs, and that all clothing should be sent to and distributed by

the Red Cross Society. Captain M. S. Galloway, secretary of the Red Cross, said they had the personnel, the space, and fumigating apparatus to attend to the clothing. He was against centralisation. He believed in strengthening existing organisations, which knew the type of people affected anti their needs. Incidentally he said

that it would be found that 90 per cent, of the cases in need of assistance lived in the vicinity of Cuba Street. Canon Feilden Taylor was setting up a “dosshouse” to accommodate 150 s.ingle men, an effort iu which Toe II was assisting. It was theu decided that the work of relieving distress be effected through existing organisations with a central depot at the Town Hall. ' Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., said they should see that every penny subscribed should go to the Mayor’s fund for record and a subsequent audit. On the’ motion of the Rev. F. Wilkinson it was decided that the standing inter-church committee in each district be the nucleus of each district committee. Mr. Fraser mentioned the sterling work that was done year in and out by the Sisters of Compassion, who ran a soup kitchen every winter, where anyone could get a bowl of soup without any questions being asked. Mr. P. Hoskins, representing the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, said that the Sisters during the year ended December 31 last had served 26,000 people with soup, and had provided 10,000 meals. They had relieved 800 cases, involving 2445 people. This year the demand was much heavier. A finance committee consisting of the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), Colonel J. j. Esson, Six Alex. Roberts, Mr. D. A. Ewen, and Mr. 11. Hayward Mirams was theu set up to handle all moneys sub-

scribed. , , , . Mr. 11. F. South mentioned that in Auckland the Farmers’ Union had volunteered to provide quantities of vegetables and meat. Possibly, if approached, the Farmers’ Union here would respond in a similar way. On the motion of Mr. Fraser the meet-

ing decided to ask each assisting organised society for some guide as to its programme for the winter, so that the management committee could have something concrete before it as to scctionalised work. This was agreed to. The Mayor announced that so far the Town Hall Fund amounted to £272, and the “Post” fund to £2OO. ‘ It was decided that a deputation wait on the Prime Minister at the earliest subscribed should be subsidised £1 for occasion with the request that all funds £l, and that the railways should carry all donated foodstuffs freight free.

Details of Mayor’s Fund The Mayor’s fund for the relief of distress in Wellington which was Inaugurated last Monday, totalled £271 up to last eveu-

inn. Following are details: — £ s d Previously acknowledged 190 0 0 0 0 f j o 0 0 Miss Ethel Hooper, Canada .... 2 0 0 jj Hall 11 0 0 "Sympathy” 1 0 0 0. Neilsen 0 10 0 Mr. and Mrs. L. 0. H. Tripp 20 0 0 K. L. Button & Co. I>td 20 0 0 Sirs, and Miss Adams 10 10 0 Mr. H. E. Taine •> 5 0 Total £ 271 5 0