RELIEF MEASURES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 104, 29 October 1931, Page 8

RELIEF MEASURES

LOWER HUTT COMMITTEE

A meeting of the-Lower Hutt Belief of Distress Committee was;; held last evening, Mr,, W. T. Strand being in th& chair. .■■■■-- ■-.- ■- ■ \ ;;•■.'.' ••■■■ •'

j, The chairman said that for some time ho had been anxious,, though : not unduly anxious, regarding the position of the committee's t finances. Costs had been going up and were standing very high, and, on the other hand receipts were diminishing. He considered that tho time had arrived when the position might be reviewed. The finances were now £365 "19s. 5d in debit^ but this amount was partly provided': for 'by promises of help which had -not yet been called upon. The principal .iteHas upon which ..losses were made''were meat (loss £.4. per week), potatoes (£3 per" week), fuel' (£i£ per' week), and. boots, (£6^per week). The total loss mado ffdm*34th'- June to- 2fth' October was £754 15s 2d, the expenditure being £1517 14a 5d and tho receipts, for the .sale of goods at specially reduced rates to those in need,: £762 19s 3d.: ;■■■■...'. """ : ' ■.'; .' '. •' '■ "V

, It was decided to increase the price at which fuel was to be retailed to 2a per bag for, coal or, coke, wood, to be left.at Is per bag.; As the weather was] improving the amount to be distributed' was also decreased. The charges for meat, potatoes, and jteiils. pther than, boots wore left as at-pfeis.erit.i'Jlt'was' decided to cut out the; supply.of,; b,pdts: altogether. This, prograpimej '/wajs^esti-i mated to reduce the" IOM/ma^e- by : the! committee from £50. 'tbvi£23;per;W,eek;;:

The secretary reported that $S.r. R. King (chemist) had hapded to him a receipted account-'for £14 19a,for toedicine supplied to, the order oj' the'committee. . . . ', > , Many suggestions were made in. regard to efforts for raising further funds, and finally it was decided to.asl the Mayor to call a, meeting of' representatives of sports bodies.to en,dcavour to organiso a queen, carnival, or .similar effort. - . . . Mr. B. Cooper, on behalf of the Industrial Committee,""reported that it Iliad some goods in hand,'and-he was deputed to confer with' 'regard/ to an auction sale with Mr.' IA. W. Nisbct, who had offered hia services frco of charge.- It was suggested that residents might give second-hand furniture to be sold at such an auction sale. '' Messrs. Cooper and Ginger wore deputed to interview Mrs. Sharp in regard to the production ot a play. Mrs. Nash reported that the work of th . sewing guild was now being carried on under tho Red Cross Association. '■ Tho, Gardens Committee reported that keen interest was being taken by the unemployed in tho cultivation of their gardens under tho supervision of the committee.' The use of five acres of land (the Hardy Street Education Bcsorve) had been secured, and three acres had been dug in three weeks by au average of twenty men daily. Over an aero had been planted in potatoes, and a quarter-acre in cabbages, donated by Mr. \V. Copping. Donations of seed potatoes and vegetable seeds had been received from several sources, principally seed merchants. Members were asked to suggest to a meeting to be held in a fortnight further means of raising funds, as very heavy calls. are oxpeeted at the end of tho summer I months. .