A BUSY UNIT

Northern Advocate, 27 June 1935, Page 8

A BUSY UNIT

CITY RELIEF COMMITTEE INFLUENCE OF NEW MAYOR (Special to "Northern Advocate"l AUCKLAND, This Day. A smile was caused at yesterday’s meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Unemployment Relief Committee, when the Rev. T. Halliday, reporting on behalf of the city relief committee, said that his committee had been particularly busy since the election of the new Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis. “I think the people realise your generosity, and we are paying for it,” he said. “The last few weeks have been the busiest time we have ever had.”

In his report to the committee, Mr. Halliday said that applications for relief since the date of the last report had shown an increase father than a reduction, the main requirements being for coal and groceries. Approximately 90 per cent of the requests, he said, were from families on sustenance. The committee was doing its best to help the genuine cases, as it was known how hard it was to purchase the commodities mentioned out of the little that was left civer after paying rent.

Another phase of the applications, he said, was from men, both single and married, who had to wait 14 days after registration until they received sustenance. Those applicants invariably told the committee that they had been advised by the Labour officials at the old station building to apply to the committee. The committee had helped in numerous cases of sickness and incurable diseases, and in many other ways had helped to ease the burden of those in want.

“I -would like to state,” added Mr. Halliday, “that we are doing our best to help really deserving cases, and a great quantity of coal has gone out to aged and infirm persons. We are endeavouring to do our best but find it impossible to- grant in full all the demands made upon us.” Fifty Tons of Coal.

After presenting his report Mr Halliday said that he wanted the members of the committee to know, even though he had been told to say nothing about it, that the chairman of the committee, Mr. Davis, had authorised Fatljer Holbrook and him (Mr Halliday) to distribute about 50 tons of coal among needy cases. He thought Mr. Davis’ generosity should be known.

The officer in charge of the relief depot, Mr. R. Grieve, reported that since last meeting 69 men had left Auckland for various camps. Since the last meeting the depot had dispatched 36 pairs of boots, 141 blankets, 273 denims, 350 shirts, 186 singlets, 431 pairs of socks and 85 pairs of underpants. A total of 851 pairs of boots and shoes had been received for repairs and 652 pairs had been sent out.