RELIEF OF DISTRESS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 29 August 1945, Page 2

RELIEF OF DISTRESS

MEETING OF CENTRAL COMMITTEE STILL CASES NEEDING ASSISTANCE The annual meeting of the Nelson Central Relief Committee was held in tjie City Council Chambers yesterday. The honorary secretary-treasurer, Mrs T. E. Hudson, in the ninth annual report, recalled that the committee was inaugurated in 1936 to control the Mayor’s Relief Fund at the request of, and to take the place of, the Nelson Unemployment Relief Committee which had bee n operating for the previous five years. The work of alleviating dis 4 ress had been carried on ever since that time by this committee under the chairmanship of the Mayor of the city, and was representative of all organisations carrying out social welfare work in the city and its environs. Owing to the introduction of Social Security benefits, and the present buoyant state of the labour market the work hrJ been greatly lessened of recent years, but there were still many cases of genuine distress to help. .Social Security did not adequately cover the cost of living and wherever real need had been established the committee had assisted. Baby clothes had been the major item of expenditure over the past year. Milk supplies to permanent indigent cases had been taken over by the Nelson Hospital Board and there would thus be a decrease in this item in future. Christmas cheer was again delivered to 22 recipient*, and their gratitude was fully indicative of the amount of pleasure these gifts gave. Expenditure on beds and meals and general accounts showed a decrease for the year. The secretary recorded with regret the passing of Mrs A. Watson during the year. She had been a very keen helper from the time the first committee was set up to alleviate distress, and Had been a constant worker ever since. For many years she had distributed small comforts on the committee’s behalf to patients in the public hospital. The election of officers resulted:— President, the Mayor. Mr ‘E. R. Neale; vice-president. Mr G. L. Page; hon. vice-president. Mr H. P. Forster: execu- | five committee. Messrs H. J. Kidson. S. I W. Street. R. A. Stedman, Alf Robinson. Stan Russell, Major Stone. Mes- | dames Wm. Lock and T. H. Robinson; | hon. secretary-treasurer. Mrs T. E. | Hudson; hon. auditor, Mr W. H. Parr. A tribute was paid to the work of the secretary by the mayor, and a vote of thanks was also placed on record to the hon. auditor for his services.