HELPING THEMSELVES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 155, 16 June 1932, Page 3

HELPING THEMSELVES

NAPIER WOMEN AND GIRLS. LOPING WITH UNEMPLOYMENT. With the very worthy objective of endeavouring to help themselves the women and girls in Napier affected by unemployment have banded themselves into a body known as the Napier Women’s League, whose activities involve the making and selling of garments. With its available funds the league purchases materials, which arc made into articles of clothing by the members, who arc paid for the work they put into them. The garments arc then sold at a shop which is to be opened in the town and so provide funds for further purchase of materials. The league held one of its periodical meetings yesterday afternoon, when there was on display a number of the articles made and ready for sale. There were about CO members present who employed their afternoon sewing, listen ing to musical items and having after noon tea. The opportunity was taken during the afternoon by Mr W. E. Barnard, M.P., to address the meeting. Ho outlined the position under which women wore placed under the Unemployment Act, and then proceeded to deal with the work of the Women’s League. DESERVING OF PRAISE. Mr Barnard said that the league was deserving of the greatest praise for trying to do something for the unemployed women and girls in the town. A. start had been made in a humble way, but when one saw the garments which had already been made one saw that, the fruits of their efforts were very evident. The league consisted of wives and daughters of workers and nccessar ily the funds available were small However, he hoped to obtain assistance from the Government so that the activities of the league could expand, and application for this purpose had already been made.

The league, said Mr Barnard, had purchased various materials and unemployed women used their time in making them into garments, payment being made for what they did. Having received back the garments they were no use to the league and therefore it was proposed to sell them at a shop to be opened in Dalton street formerly used as a cake shop, this shop being opened on Friday and Saturday of each week commencing to-morrow. The shop has boon given rent free by the owner, Mr Saunders.. It was not thought by Mr Barnard that the shopkeepers in the town would object to a shop of this nature, as the materials were being purchased from them and a worthy cause was being assisted. APPEAL FOR SUPPORT. The league had practically exhausted its small funds, and as it had so far received no assistance from the Government he made an appeal for solid and enthusiastic support for the little venture in Dalton street. He also asked that people with garments suitable for sale should make them available to those in charge for sale over the counter.

Reference to the present unemployment. situation was made by Mr Barnard, who said that there was little the women could do to confront the situation, but the members of the Women’s League were doing all in their power to assist those who had nothing to live on. After all there were not only girls out of work, but also boys, and the speaker with others were exploring ways and menus to give assistance to boys also. “Every member of the country must realiie that the prospeets of our youth are very very dull indeed,’’ said Mr Barnard.

He concluded by stating that the Women’s League iim] received official reeogntion from the Government, and he hoped that soon a reasonably large sum would be made available so that the league’s activities might expand and be intensified.