UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUDS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 June 1927, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUDS

ACTIVITY AT CH.CH. UNAUTHORISED COLLECTIONS x ■ (Special to "Star.") CHRISTCHURCH, June 14. It* was stated by several members of the Citizens’ Unemployment Committee, yesterday, that several persons were collecting funds in the city, allegedly on behalf of the Committee for the relief of unemployment. The Mayor (Mr. J. K. Archer) said that nobody was authorised to do so. Mr. W. H. Winsor said there was no authority for the sale of score cards in connection with the New Zealand cricket team’s tour, when it was mentioned that these were being disposed of in Christchurch. The Mayor: “There’s no authority from us either.” Mr. Windsor said that the New Zealand Cricket Council was very particular about such a matter. It issued score cards, but did not sell them. Mr. E. H. Marriner said that he was familiar with *what was being done. The cards were being sold by a firm on its own behalf. “There are some very old dodges being tried,” said Mr. R. B. Owen. “It was stated that the collection was in aid of the unemployed.” There was a lot of misrepresenattion going on round the city. Quite a little host of spongers are going through the suburbs. The people appealed to should ring up the Relief Depot, where they would be given information as to whether such appeals were authorised.” Mr. Owen related the case of a man drawing a pension of £2/15/- a week, who was also working, who had appealed for assistance to the residents of Fendalton. There were quite a number of his kind about, he said. Rev. F. Rule: Some of them are worse. Mr. Owen said that people should guard against impositions. Mrs. T. E. Taylor said that two men were going round in the east of the City alleging they were collecting on behalf of the committee.

Canon J. F. Coursey supported this statement. “We should ask the newspapers to assist us in this,” said the Mayor. “Nobody had been authorised to collect funds.” “They ought to be caught and brought before the Court,” said Mr. Rule. RUGBY v. LEAGUE MATCH “I know its’s quite impracticable,” said the Mayor J. K. Archer) when the laughter had subsided, after he had brought forward at yesterday’s meeting of the Citizen’s' Unemployment Committee, a request from the Rugby League people that a match between the leading Rugby Union and League teams, in aid of the Committee’s funds, be arranged to take place at Lancaster Park on a. future Saturday. The Mayor said that there had been a deputation to him on the matter. Members discussed the proposal in jocular manner, and mentioned that a similar suggestion had been made before. “There’s some difference in the rules isn’t there?” said a member. (Laughter). Rev. F. Rule: Ay, there is. Amid further laughter, it was suggested that Mr. Rule should explain the difference.

“I move in that direction,” said Mr. D. J. Sullivan. Canon J. F. Coursey said that it was out of the bounds of possibility to arrange the match. “Absolutely,” said Mr. H. Winsor, “and I’m a Rugby man.” The Mayor said that the idea should be abandoned. WELLINGTON DEPUTATION. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 13. A large deputation of unemployed, introduced by Mr McKeen, M.P., and headed by F. Cornwell, President of the Trades and Labour Council, was received by the Mayor (Mr G. Troup) to-day. Both Mr Cornwell and Mr Cook, President of the Alliance of Labour, asked that a committee again be set up by the local bodies, as was the case last year, to deal with the problem. In reply, the Mayor- detailed the efforts already made towards relief. He thought that the City Council would shortly be able to absorb more men, but it could not meet the whole of the situation. The Government must assist in some degree, and he understood that the Prime Minister had proposals before him. Mr Troup hoped the situation would he met within a fortnight. , The heavy weather of yesterday moderated to-day. though there have been frequent showers throughout the morning and afternoon, and there is still no indication of the sky clearing. The’ strong southerly wind has dropped to a large degree. The work of clearing the slip of about a thousand cubic yards which blocked the Ngahauranga Gorge Road yesterday, was completed bv mid-day. To-day thirty men were engaged for the task

565 APPLICATIONS. AUCKLAND, June 14. A striking commentary of the unemployed situation in Auckland was provided by the Dilworth Trust Board’s advertisement for a liftman, and for a caretaker for the new skyscraper in Queen Street, 565 actual applications being received, though there had been 905 inquiries from all parts of the Dominion about the two jobs. . “It’s one of the saddest things I ve known in my life, that so many men should be seeking work in Auckland, said (the Chairman, Archdeacon G. Mac Murray. “Conscientiously examining every application, I could pick out a hundred really good men without any difficulty. ”