NEED STILL EXISTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 132, 7 June 1939, Page 9

NEED STILL EXISTS

SOCIAL SERVICE WORK

The quarterly paper issued by the Wellington Diocesan Social Service Board, referring to the question of active support of the Church's social work, points out that the operation of the Social Security; Act has not removed the need of this service within the community. ;

"The Social Service Board is grate-: ful for Lenten offerings to help the homes; but the results are not as good, having regard to the times, as in some previous years," it is stated. "It is possible that this is due to a widespread belief that the inauguration of the State social security scheme removes the need for supporting the Church's social work. Friends are constantly met with the question: 'We are paying the social security contribution to provide pensions for orphans; widows, and the aged, and benefits for the sick and the workless. Why should it be necessary to make other provision?' The answer is that it is undoubtedy still most necessary. The social security scheme, when in full operation, may lessen the demands upon our help. How far that is possible we cannot yet say; but it is unlikely that it will do more than enable us to catch up with the demand. In the depression, and even afterwards, we were unable to do all the work that might have been done. It was necessary to take the most urgent cases, to carry on with old and unsuitable buildings, to strain resources and hope to make finances sound in better times. Latterly, some of the work that was deferred has been done, but we have still a long way to go before we can ba satisfied with the position. "St. Barnabas' Babies' Home, for example, is much in need of funds. We would like to feel that current expenses were assured for a year or two, without constant anxiety about the future. As another example, the City Missioner, very soon after taking up his duties, found it necessary to make a public appeal for 'coal, clothes, or cash. 1 Only those working in the field of social service understand how the need-for service is ever-present and even the best State schemes cannot he expecWfr *m*m it."