RELIEF OF DISTRESS.

Evening Star, Issue 20864, 6 August 1931, Page 12

RELIEF OF DISTRESS.

TO tllE EDITOR. Sir, —In tho letter of the stli hist, from the Mayor and Deputy-mayor of St. Kilda I personally am charged with discourtesy and lack of charity towards a neighbouring borough. With regard to tire lack of courtesy, my letter being published, tho citizens of’ Dunedin may judge for themselves. The Alayor of Dunedin’s relief depot has been open for over six weeks, and during the whole of that time it lias assisted all applicants for relief from St. Kilda. At the first applications for relief were received from every borough and county near Dunedin, but all those —Green Island, Alosgicl, Ravensbourio, Port Chalmers, and others, with the exception of St. Kilda—have now Taken charge of their own people. On July 7. four weeks ago. the executive of the Dunedin Citizens’ Relief Committee decided that it could no longer supply persons other than the citizens of Dunedin. Since that date I have reneatedly asked tho Alayor of St. Kilda to take action, Put without effect. Air Beattie states that I have closed tho doors to St. Kilda people without timely warning. Surely four weeks is timely warning. As a matter ol fact. St. Kilda residents are receiving relief still, but Air Beattie must clearly understand that tiiis matter is serious and urgent. Dunedin residents arc sending in approximately 3,0001 bol groceries each week by the pound a week scheme alone, while St. Kilda lias no organised scheme whatsoever. Tho position is that wo have only sufficient funds to feed the residents ol Dunedin for a limited time, and without any material assistance from St. Kilda itself the position becoming impossible. lam continuing meanwhile to attend to tiro needs ol the St. Kilda needy, as one cannot allow these people to starve; but Mr Beattie and his council must shoulder their own responsibilities. In tho Press of June 10 there appeared the following extract trout the report of tho proceedings of the St. Kilda Council:—

Or Edgar asked the mayor if he had given any consideration to the question of organising a relief depot In St. Hilda. A groat deal of distress, ho said, was at present m evidence, and he thought the time was ripe to consider the setting up of a relief depot. He suggested that the mayor should call a meeting of residents to discuss tho matter of destitution in tho borough.—Cr Glue said (hat ho did not think it would be a wise policy to open up a depot in St. Hilda, as there was a possibility that it would clash with the city schemes.—A great deal of discussion took place with regard to live proposal to establish such a depot . —The Mayor said he thought it would be a good idea to establish a depot if it was worked in conjunction with tho ■me in the city, but he did not think

that it would be wise for St. Kilda to act on its own in this respect.— it was finally decided that the mayor should interview Mrs Macdonald in connection with the matter and bring tho question forward at a later meeting of the council. N.B.—Mr Beattie has yet to report. On July 28 the following extract appeared in the St. Kilda Council news:— Mr M. J. Andrew, who had written on behalf of several members of the Dunedin Unemployment Concert Committee, and bad been granted tho use of tho hall for a concert in aid of the Rev. L. 8., Noale’s fund, again wrote asking for permission to use the funds for another purpose. There bad been a-grave shortage of coal and blankets in the town depots, and several St. Kilda ■unemployed men bad decided to open a fund to provide residents of the borough with these necessities. It was proposed to collect funds, and also use the proceeds of the concert for the purpose.—The opinion was expressed that it was not desirable that another fund should be opened. It was decided to inform the writer that this was tho opinion of the council, and to recommend that the proceeds of the concert be used for their original purpose. Instead of trying to help its own people, the St. Kilda Council recommended that the proceeds of the concert be sent to Mr Neale’s depot, which is not helping the St. Kilda residents. —I am, etc.,'’. • R. S. Black, Mayor. - Dunedin, August 5. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The recent decision of Air Black is, to say iho least ot*it. rather astounding. .Docs Air Black have full control of the city depots, or is he spokesman for - the working committees? The .“ Us ” and we's ju Iris letter to the

Mayor of St. Kilda are a trifle misleading! It is true St. Kilda people have rendered service in more ways than one, - and. although not expecting to have any praises sung over them, do not expect' to be stood with face in a corner to suit any fine of various whims. Relief will be refused all St. Kilda people oa and after Monday! Tho city refused St. Kilda men relief work, but St. Kilda men were forced to pay the levy which helped to pay the relief wages of city, workers. St. Kilda women have helped, and when one, who has a child a confirmed invalid! left her own sewing to sew for others there was no decree that the beautifully-made clothing was for St. Kilda children. Wo are all working with the one object in view, and even the “Cubs” who drew their trolly along St. Kilda streets last Saturday morning wore happy in their selfimposed task, for they were singing as they worked, collecting groceries from St. Kilda residents and depositing them at the receiving depot across the boundary. Why cannot everyone, at a time lika the present, be prepared to work as 1 harmoniously as is possible, j More thanks are due to the ladies at tha depots than they will ever receive. They are not looking for praise, and do not even get the civility due to them from city officials.—l am, etc., A.S.S. August 5.