FOOD FOR THE POOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20902, 18 June 1931, Page 12

FOOD FOR THE POOR.

SUPPLIES FROM COUNTRY.

OFFER MADE BY FARMERS.

DIFFICULTY OVER RAIL CHARGES

The farmers of the Auckland Province, through the local branch of the Farmers' Union, yesterday offered to send quantities of food into the city free of charge for distribution to distressed families. Tfce gifts will include meat, vegetables, eggs and farm produce of all descriptions.

The information was conveyed to the executive of tho Auckland Social Workers' Association by Mr. A. E. Robinson, secro-, tary of the Auckland provincial branch of the Farmers' Union, who said there wus every reason to believe that a good response would be forthcoming from the farmers and that a large quantity of produce. would bo sent into the oity., He asked that the association form a distribution committee to handle the produce. On behalf of the association, Mr. Robinson was thanked for the farmers' generous offer and it was agreed to-cooperate with the union in arranging for adequate distribution of the gifts. A serious difficulty with which tho association is faced in availing itself of the offer is the necessity for paying rail freight for transporting the produce to Auckland. The Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour, treasurer of the association and Methodist city missioner, expressed tho fear that numbers of farmers might bo unwilling to send farm produce to Auckland if they were called upon to pay tho freight. The association was not in a position to pay any considerable sum for that purpose.

Tho association is therefore informing the Government that it will be impossible to carry on the work of distributing gifts from the country until the question of freight on goods for charitable purposes is satisfactorily settled. The Railway Department is being urged to permit tho carriage of such goods free of charge, £is was done during the Hawko's Bay earthquake, provided the destination of the goods is a bona-lide agency for the distribution of charity. It is being pointed out to the department that such goods are already being carried free of cost by the shipping companies and that tho department, in the event of a dry spell emergency, transports feed for stock freo of charge. It is claimed that the same iihould be done for impoverished human beings.

Mr. Scrimgeour said that a Waikato coal company had offered to donate £SO •worth of coal, but the cost of bringing the coal to Auckland was so heavy that :it was impossible for the association to accept tho gift.

APPEALS FOR RELIEF.

RECORD NUMBER OF CASES

HOSPITAL BOARD APPLICANTS

More new applications for relief than have ever been received before were dealt with by . the relief department of the Auckland Hospital Board yesterday—the busiest day experienced by the department. A large queue was waiting when a start was made in the morning, and shelter from the heavy rain was"provided the men in the board's garage adjoining the department's office! The reCord number of 350 - cases was dealt with, yesterday, and on Tuesday the number was about 250. Under normal conditions the number would be about 100. Relief work this month has been the heaviest experienced by tho board, and it is probable that the expenditure will reach £7OOO. During tho past two months over £IO.OOO was spent on relief work. In an interview .with tho Minister of Railways, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, yesterday, the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, Mr. W. Wallace, pointed out the seriousness of, tho position in Auckland. The Government would have to come to the assistance of tho board, he said. If the work of the board were stopped for 24 hours he would not be responsible for what would happen in Auckland.

The Minister said lie had had no idea of the-seriousness of the position until he met the men yesterday. It was more serious here than in any other part of the Dominion.

SOCIAL WORKERS' PLEA

" ABSOLUTELY HELPLESS.".

An urgent request to the Government to deal with the unemployment question as soon as possible after the opening of Parliament was made to the Prime Minister yesterday by the Auckland Social Workers' Association, which is composed of 38 of the institutions in the city engaged in the distribution of charitable relief. The message was as follows: "We, the social workers of Auckland, urge upon the Government the necessity of dealing with the unemployment question on tho first days of the opening of Parliament. *We desire to point out that never in our history havo we been faced with so much destitution as at the present moment. Should tho depression continue much longer we .aye convinced that many of our citizens will be faced with starvation. There are hundreds of people who will not report themselves at the Hospital Board and are at this time receiving help from various social workers. "We, as social workers, are absolutely helpless to cope with the distress unless the Government comes to our help. The position has been made desperate owing to the withdrawal of relief work under No. 5 scheme. We will co-operate with the Government in any scheme or schemes that will bring relief to tho destitute families of our city. We pray that this message will be considered as urgent."

" DISTRESS IS PRESSING."

TEMPORARY RELIEF URGED

After his interview with the unemployed yesterday, the Hon. W. A. Vcitch, sent the following telegram to. the Prime Minister:—

"I met large number of unemployed at Auckland this morning. There are definite indications that unemployment distress is-pressing■ and calls for immediate remedial measures. I promised tho deputation that I would communicate with you urging immediate action to provide temporary relief pending decision of Parliament on tho whole question of unemployment. 1 propose this afternoon to get into touch with tho Hospital Board authorities with a view to arriving at a definite arrangement for prompt relief, and will communicate with you later in the day in this regard. I understand certain surplus produce is availablo from Waikato district, and that free rail conveyance is desired I would recommeiid that you authorise Railway Board J to grant free transport of this produce for l'oliof purposes if not already done."