COMMUNITY SELF-HELP

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 305, 9 December 1931, Page 5

COMMUNITY SELF-HELP

WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED GARDENS ON VACANT AREAS One of the most interesting and successful schemes of community self-help to alleviate the hardships of married unemployed men, and to assist them to provide fresh vegetables and foodstuffs for their families was inspected and most favourably commented on by the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates during a recent visit to Stratford. The scheme was organised by Dr. Doris Gordon with the assistance of the local unemployment committee, and could be readilv adapted in many other boroughs throughout the Dominion. The scheme calls for an enthusiastic community spirit on the part of those responsible for its inauguration and carrying out, but once successfully started it creates a splendid rivalry among the unemployed men and their families. At Stratford the unemployment committee first seeks out vacant ground on borough reserves and unoccupied sections in areas of anything from quarteracre lots up to two or three acres. Next, the committee selects tho men to work these allotments, provides seeds and loans implements, besides providing a practical horticulturist to oversee and otherwise assist in the carrying out of the scheme. The workers are now helped with useful advice on seasonable cropping, and so forth. Meanwhile, they are helping themselves and the country bv becoming practical gardeners whose surplus produce can find a ready local market. SELECTION OF APPLICANTS. The unemployment committee selects the applicants for this class of useful work and makes the choice of allotments most likely to suit the particular man who is to take up the work, in order that he may quickly adapt himself to the land provided. Thereafter the man is set to work on his allotment and given advice which is helpful to him in getting a quick return from his labour. A strict check is kept on all seeds and other requirements provided to tho men working these allotments, and the cost is debited against each person. On. the other side of each man’s ledger account are placed ny credits gained by the sale of- surplus produce, which is collected and sold on a co-operative basis. So far this practical scheme has proved an outstanding success in Stratford. At present out of 77 unemployed married men in Stratford no less than 70 are working upon such allotments and are doing satisfactorily, with every hope of the scheme becoming entirely self-supporting. MINIMISING HARDSHIP. Married men so employed are eligible to take up the usual relief work under No. 5 scheme and during those days—-

three or four, as the case may be, according to the number of dependents—their families are able to help on the allotments. Consequently the money paid on relief work and the proceeds from the sale of surplus produce provide sufficient to minimise the hardships which the loss of regular employment entails. The entire scheme is based on selfhelp and co-operation, which, if judiciously handled, as is the case at Stratford, should materiallv assist in relieving unemployment among family men in many urban areas throughout the Dominion. Probably more ambitious schemes might bo inaugurated where larger areas are available.

Tenders for repairs, etc., to the Napier Boys’ High School arc invited by the Public Works Tenders Board. STOMACH WOBMS IN CATTLE. Farmers can now use the simple, yet exhaustively tested remedy for the treatment of stomach worms and fluke in sheep, cattle, pigs and dogs. Pellex Kylfluke, the new carbon tetrachloride cure, has proved so successful that it is recommended by the New South Wales Government. It will positively euro lung worm and all forms of internal parasites in animals. —Grant’s Pharmacy.* For use on all occasions. Milady cannot find a better perfume than No. 65 Lavender Water —double-distilled from specially selected Mitcham Flowers. Sold by all chemists —2s 6d to 22s 6d.*