RELIEF SYSTEMS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 170, 13 April 1933, Page 12

RELIEF SYSTEMS

Dominion-wide Efforts N.Z. BODIES CONFER Remits from Smith Family NATIONAL COUNCIL PLAN NOT APPROVED Convened by the Smith Family of Wellington, a conference of representatives of organisations administering the relief ',of distress in New Zealand was held in the City Council Chamber yesterday. The object of the conference was to bring about a closer relationship and cooperation among relief organisations throughout the country, and by an interchange of ideas, to .-introduce a greater degree of efficiency in this important phase of community service. There were present Messrs. T. C. A. Hislop (Mayor of Wellington), who presided, three members of the Smith Family, and Messrs. J. H. McDonald (Centralised Relief Workers’ Association), Hawke’s Bay), W. T. Strand (Mayor of Lower Hutt), D. McKenzie (Mayor of Petone), Thomas Jordan (Mayor of Masterton), D. G. Sullivan (Mayor of Christchurch), A. E. Mansford (Mayor of Palmerston North), W. P Williams (Lower Hutt Relief Committee), Dr. T. D. Pinfold (Mayor of Hamilton), A. J. McCurdy (Mayor of Upper Hutt), F. O. Ericson (Salvation Army), S.'B. Stephenson (Presbyterian Social Service), George Harper, and W. Scarff (Christchurch), J. R. Dunnett (Onslow), S. Keen (Island Bay), c. Walls (Salvation Army), J. W. Gibbons and W. A. Adams (Wellington City Mission), W. J. Lowe (Relief Officer, Wellington Hospital Board), the Rev. F. H. Petrie (Feilding), H. G. Dickie (Hawera), E. J. Martin (Foxton Relief Committee), H. Card (Mayor of Featherston), M. .Haywood Mirams (Mayor’s Relief Committee, Wellington), Rev. F. H. Wilkinson (chairman Inter-Church Committees, Wellington), F. M. Forde (Women’s Unemployed Association, Wellington), W. Freeman (town clerk of Foxton), E. G. Clifford (Timaru Central Relief Society), W. H. Bennett (representing the Hastings Borough Council), G. Mulvanah (secretary of the Hawke’s Bay Central Relief Workers), and J. Abel (chairman Dominion Red Cross Society) ; also Misses Mary E. and Emily Richmond (Fellowship of Service, Wellington), Miss Amy Kane (Women’s Unemployment Committee, Wellington). In opening the conference the Mayor made it clear that the initiative had been taken by the Smith Family. When a representative of that body had approached him on the matter a little while, ago, he said, he had replied that personally he did not see the necessity for such a conference, as Wellington was carrying on quite satisfactorily. On going into the matter, however, he thought some ideas might come out of it. From the agenda paper he gathered that a number of remits were to be considered. , , Belief in Decentralisation. ‘‘Some may have formed the idea that out of it is to come a super relief organisation,” proceeded the chairman. “I am not one of those. I believe in decentralisation, and in each place looking after its own affairs. We in Wellington have an organisation which embraces practically all philanthropic effort, and we are managing to get along with a minimum of overlapping. If we had another organisation we could not have less overlapping. “The matter that.is exercising me is the necessity for seeing that steps are taken to see that the Unemployment Board supplies -foodstuffs and materials under the scheme. I believe there is a scheme to that end in hand, but it is not yet ready to be launched. It is necessary for the hoard to make large purchases of foodstuffs so that it can be available for those in distress when winter comes. “In addition, I think the board should make some use of the unemployed who are skilled in productive work. If the right steps were taken tradesmen could surely be employed to make clothes and boots, for which the unemployed would pay as much as they could afford. At least they would be producing something needed by the other unemployed. If food were secured by bulk purchase and clothing were turned out by the unemployed, it would help to meet the difficulties of the coming winter. Governor-General’s Action. The Smith Family “.Joyspreaders” moved : “That this conference express to his Excellency the Governor-General its heartfelt appreciation of his Excellency’s action in instituting a National Relief Fund, and of his Excellency’s practical sympathy with all efforts for the alleviation of distress.” This was unanimously agreed to. The Smith Family also moved: “That a National Relief Council be set up, representative of the principal relief organisations throughout the Dominion, such council to act as an intermediary between relief organisations, the Government, and the Unemployment Board.” In speaking to the remit, the mover said it was not intended that such a council should handle all the relief in New Zealand, hut it was thought that there should be some body of the kind in Wellington to act as an intermediary between the various organisations all over the country, and the Government and the Unemployment Board. Relief in the Country. Dr. Pinfold said he thought there would be no need for a national council if the Government and board were doing their jobs. The unemployed in the city were being treated much better than those in the country. In Hamilton, they had cuts about which the Minister knew nothing. Mr. S. Harper thought the last speaker was getting away from the purpose of the Conference, which was to discuss matters concerning relief as it concerned such organisations as the Smith Family. He agreed with the spirit of the remit. Mr. H. G. Dickie (Hawera) said he did not see how they could set up such an authority without legislation, and then possibly they would get “the dead hand of political control.” The smaller centres had received no free gifts of meat —that was for the big cities only. Mr. G. Mulvanah (Hawke’s Bay) said the unemployed did not want charity, but only asked for work and wages. Mr. A. E. Mansford (Palmerston North) asked what more authority a central body would have then than what they had now.

A Smith Family representative stated that everyone who had spoken against the remit had used the strongest orguments for it. It was not proposed that the council should scrutinise or supervise the work of any organisation, but would represent and help them In Wellington. On the voices the remit was defeated. Auditing of Relief Funds. The Smith Family moved: “That the finances of all relief organisations bo subject to audit by a competent authority to be appointed for the purpose, and that a half-yearly statement of receipts and expenditure, duly audited, be published.” The mover stated that when there was a general appeal to the general public there should be some check. He mentioned an instance when one effort was made to raise money, and the first allocation made was the payment of £5O to the organiser. Dr. Pinfold asked the name of the body referred to, and when the mover said he could not give it, but that it was not a relief organisation, Dr. Pinfold said that such references should not be made as it implied a slur on all relief organisations. The chairman agreed with Dr. Pinfold. The remit lapsed for want of a seconder. Work For Tradesmen. Another remit moved by the Smith Family was as follows: “That this conference consider the advisability of urging the Unemployment Board to establish depots in .'the various centres in which unemployed tradesmen and tradeswomen can manufacture for the supply to unemployed workers, their wives and children: (1) Footwear. (2) clothing.” Mr. D. G. Sullivan, Mayor of Christchurch, was of the opinion that instead of setting up depots it might be better to come to some arrangement with manufacturers. He moved, as ah amendment: "That the conference recommend the Unemployment Board to investigate the possibility of employing unemployed tradesmen for the manufacture of articles for the use of the unemployed throughout the Dominion.” This was passed on the voices.' The Smith Family moved: “That central depots be established throughout the Dominion for the collection and storage of foodstuffs to be drawn upon (by requisition) by all accredited relief organisations throughout the Dominion,” The mover spoke of foodstuff “rotting in the ground” for want of an organisation to collect and distribute .it.- ' The remit lapsed for lack of a seconder. Mr. Geo.,Harper (Christchurch) moved : “That it is desirable that societies should become incorporated (if not already so) under the Incorporated Societies Act in each city or other appropriate centres of operation, for the relief of distress.” Mr. G. Mulvanah (Hawke’s Bay) supported the remit on the grounds that all publicly-subscribed funds should be. protected. Experience in his district, where losses had occurred, made such a step necessary. Mr. D. G. Sullivan said the remit did not make the proposal mandatory —it only said it 'was desirable. The remit was passed. Mayors, and Public Appeals. Mr. Geo. Harper (Christchurch) moved, and Mr. W. Scarff seconded: “(a) That such incorporated societies should receive all moneys which may be collected from the public for the purpose of distress by means of any public appeals, inaugurated by the mayor or other principal officials ' of the areas in which the societies may be operating, (b) In the case of public appeals, street collections, or other schemes, made by mayors of cities or boroughs in aid of distress, there would be no objection to the retention of a reasonably small percentage by such mayor, for the purpose of a personal benevolent fund to assist pecuniarily a limited class of persons needing that kind of assistance; or in the case of appeals made by the mayors for funds for ‘coal and blanket’ wants and such like objects as, have been aided before the existing prevailing distress. But otherwise the administration of the relief of distress ought to be entirely in the hands of recognised incorporated societies within each of its areas of operation.” Holding of Art Unions. Mr. D. G. Sullivan opposed the remit. He could not agree with Mr. Harper, he said, that the Mayor should be denuded of practically all the funds. , ■ Mr Harper said the object of the remit was to prevent overlapping. Mr. W. A. Andrews said the remit affected the Mayor of Wellington, and he would like to know his views on the remit. “I’m not affected,” said Mr. Hislop. "If it is passed I won’t take any notice of it!” (Laughter.) The remit was defeated on the voices. Mr. Harper moved: “As an alternative to the granting of subsidies,'six consecutive art unions be permitted to be held, during the winter months', in-each city or other centres in operation, for the purposes of the relief of distress, the net proceeds to be apportioned among those areas, according to the proved needs of each area, and to be handed over to the societies for those purposes.” As the sustenance of the people was of the utmost importance, said Mr. W. Scarff, he thought that, every art union should be for the benefit, of relief funds. The Rev. F. 11. Wilkinson opposed the motion. People were buying art unions who ought to be buying bread, he said. It was like going to a bowser petrol pump to put out a fire. Mr. A. E. Mansford said Ni may not agree with the principle of raising money for relief out of art unions, yet they were faced with the fact that large sums of money were leaving the country.

While he did not oppose art unions, Mr. W. T. Strand (Hutt) said, lie felt that this source of raising money was too precarious, and that such moneys as were necessary .for velief should be as sure as those raised by taxation. Mr. Dickie (Hawera) said Mr. Strand wanted more assured finance, but they had no assured finance —it was all voluntary. The remit wnsl lost by 11 votes to 10. It. was decided on the voices, on the motion of Mr. D. G. Sullivan, that it be a recommendation to the Government that all art unions be substantially taxed for the purpose of relieving distress. Mr. E. G. Martin (Foxton) moved: “That arrangements be made whereby a large amount of produce % grown in the country districts shall he made available for the unemployed in the cities.” The mover said that in Foxton the unemployed workers had cultivated plots under the No. 5 scheme. Some of them had raised all ki z nds of vegetables in quantity. As n result there wasl such over-production that some of the farmers had ploughed in acres of potatoes. On his own place a thousand cabbages had rotted for want, of a market. His organisation was one of relief workers, who only got a £1 a week. That being so, they were not in a position to make arrangements for transporting the. food to the cities. The remit was carried.

Mr. W. Scarff mentioned that people in Wellington should approach the Government to remit the sales tax on goods bought by relief organisations. / Finally, the conference decided that Messrs. T. C. A. Hislop, D. G. Sullivan, M.P., P. Fraser, M.P., W. T. Strand, and P. Brandon be ft deputation to bring the remits passed before the Government.