CITY MISSION SHELTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20924, 14 July 1931, Page 8

CITY MISSION SHELTER.

The attitude taken by many of the men given help in time of need by the City Mission is difficult to justify. They are benefiting by the very practical and self-sacrificing interest in their welfare taken by the Rev. Jasper Calder and his associates, and yet presume to treat these real friends as if they were lazy and dishonest employees, to say nothing worse. Even if the allegations they have made against certain details in the running of the shelter were wholly true, the stand taken is indefensible. They should remember that the work being done for them is itself hampered by the difficulties of a time of general hardship, and gratefully make allowance for this, instead of embarrassing the effort with their clamorous complaint. To suggest that the shelter is being run for profit is a palpable untruth. Nobody who knows anything about this piece of selfless service will believe it for a moment. Yet, by their organised complaining, the men are doing injury to the effort among those not conversant with the facts, and thus lessening the confidence in it that is the basis of the voluntary subscriptions keeping it going. These contributors, however, have the assurance of the Social Workers' Association, and that of the chairmen of the Hospital Boai'd and of its relief committee, that the best is being done with the means at the missioner's disposal. They should continue and, if possible, increase their contributions for this work. But, at the same time, they have a perfect right to ask that those dispensing the help so willingly and well on their behalf shall be spared annoyance at the hands of those who are being helped. These have talked about (their rights, but there is no right that does not rest on a rendered duty; and their clear duty is to cooperato in making the shelter all it can be, not to multiply and magnify complaints in a spirit of unreason and ingratitude.