UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 November 1926, Page 2

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

CONTROL Of’cOLLECTION. (Special to ‘‘Star.’’) CHRISTOHuHcS 3 # Ntivefiibsr 29. Two of the most active' leaders &t the unemployed suffered a bittCi 1 disappointment on Saturday wiien they learnbd that tlie prqeeeds of tile special collection for tiie r'bllef of unemployed, which was taken at Gipsy Smith’s mission, would be handed over to the Mayor for distribution instead of being given to themselves for that purpose, as they had hoped. A few days ago, these' man led a deputation of unemployed, which waited on the niissiOnei*/ and asked him for help in relieving the distress caused by unemployment in the city. Gipsy Smith was sympathetic to the appeal, and promised at the Friday night meeting he Would arrange fdr fl special collection to be taken up' for the purpose. On this promise, the two leaders biiiit Up high hopes of securing a substantial nucleus for tile funds of tthicli they would have the control. It was with feelings of great surprise they learned that the secretary of the Gipsy Smith Mission had paid the money, amounting to £23 4s 3d to the Town Clerk, with a request that it be placed at the disposal of the Mayor for distribution in relief of unemployment distress. The two men immediately communicated with the Mayor and stated that the money was intended for the fund which they were organising, and It should be handed straight over to them. The Mayor asked the men to call at his room at the City Council Chambers at 11 o’clock, when the matter could be discussed * with the members of the special sub-committee appointed by the Citizens’ Committee for dealing with urgent cases of distress. When the meeting took place, the members of the sub-com-mittee present were the Mayor, Mssrs E. H. Andrews, R. B. Owen, and H. Worrall. A lengthy discussion took place. The two leaders of the unemployed were given the full opportunity of stating their side of the case. Subsequently, the Mayor informed a reporter that it had been decided as the money had been raised for a special purpose, namely relief of distress caused through unemployment, it would not be used for the ordinary unemployment fund to provide wages for labour performed by men, but it should be distributed by means of goods to the most necessitous cases. The money would therefore be handed over to the sub-committee which had been in charge of the Citizens’ Relief Depot, consisting of Mrs Herbert, F. C. Ellis (Trades Hall), and R. B. Owen. This subcommittee would distribute the money, and also any other amounts that may be received as the result of Gipsy Smith’s appeal. Several unemployed, who congregated at the Government Labour expressed the opinion it would have been quite wrong to have given money to the two men for distribution. They concurred with the action of the secretary of the Mission in handing the money to the Mayor.