DEPRIVED OF LIVING

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 36, 11 August 1933, Page 5

DEPRIVED OF LIVING

BY CHAEITY DRIVES

BOTTLE-GATHERERS HIT

Evidently the recent "Postmon's Knock" and similar charity drives made a clean sweep of the available bottles from all the back yards of Wellington. Tho home-brew craze, it is said, has put a premium on suitable bottles, which are now either retained by householders or collected from them with avidity by their friends for that purpose, and when on top of that comos a drive in which tho enthusiasm of Boy Scouts, postmen, and interchurch helpers leaves no sack unturned, tho position of the man who makes a living by collecting bottles is apt to bo unfortunate. These facts were put bcfoio tho bylaws committee of tho City Council yesterday afternoon by Messrs. W. S. McMorran and E. J. Bryant, both licensed bottle-gatherers, who find their occupation gone. Councillor H. .A. Huggins, who* prosided, said that the facts had already been put before him by these men, with whom he sympathised, but he did not see what the council could do in the matter. Mr. McMorran said that while of courso they wero, in 'sympathy with drives for various charitable purposes, they would bo glad if something could bo done, as their living was practically gone. The Boy Scouts, postmen, and agents of tho churches had collected so thoroughly that they found it most detrimental1 to their business. Thousands of bottles were collected during tho last drive, and it meant taking away their bread and butter in order to assist others, placing them practically on tho breadline themselves. " . Councillor Huggins:;; You pay £1 lieenco to" engage in your work; but the school children and the Boy Scouts collect all „ your bottles. Councillor Luckie: What do these charitable collectors do with the bottles? DEEP INJURY. . Th"p chairman saict that tho proceeds wore v generally devoted to charitable purposes, but it was a question whether, if theso'charitablo institutions knew that they were deeply injuring these bottle-men in their livelihood, they would |gp on /with tho collection of bottles at allMr. McMorran said that there.wore altogether" about 100 licensed bottlecollectors iiv Wellington, including Hindus. Tho licence was ' for the collection pf bottles only. Tho chairman said ho had suggested to tho deputation that the licence fee might bo reduced to perhaps Is, but he could see that that would not help them at all. Weekly bottle collections had dropped to zero, said Mr. McMorran, who gave an instance of a licensed bottle-gatherer who, at the end,of a full week's work, had Is 6d left after paying fiis board. It was natural, of course, that, housoholders would bring Out all the bottles available when they were informed by the Scouts, etc., that they were to bo iised for charitable purposes.- ; ' Tho chairn.an: I suppose that once the schoolboys find out that the bottles can bo sold, they go on collecting on their own account? > Councillor Duncan: Yes, wo did that ourselves. »' Mr. McMorran said that one way out . of the difficulty would be for the bottlegatherers to go round the houses and pay for bottles, the householders to hand over the money received to the charities concerned, instead of the tto'taes.-™- •■ ' "\ Ono man who went to a house in Karori recently was told that he was the,seventh man who had come collecting bottles that day. Councillor Duncan: Was she running a cabaret?''. ■: .' A BAFFLING PROBLEM. 1 The chairman said that the position •was baffling. They could not ask the 'charitablo institutions to take out licences, and they could not very well ask them not to collect bottles, but perhaps if the various institutions realised the position they would think twice before driving the bottlo:men' out of a living. • Councillor Duncan said he thought there were fewer bottles "ia circu-, lation" than before the slump. Mr. McMorran remarked that the dustmen often collected bottles, and thero were always the Hindus. Some of the "licensed gatherers had been collecting them for years. Councillor J. Burns said he believed that the sack which hung.behind the dust carts contained bottles, and was. known as a "charity sack." Councillor Duncan:. Yes, their own charity bag. Councilor Huggins assured them that the matter would bo discussed.