QUEUE OUT OF HAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21069, 31 December 1931, Page 8

QUEUE OUT OF HAND.

APPLICANTS FOR RELIEF. POLICE RESTORE ORDER. 1 ELEVEN HUNDRED CASES. DOUBLE PREVIOUS RECORD. 'A squad of seven policemen was necessary to maintain order among the abnormally large number of people seeking food, tickets from the relief office of the Auckland Hospital Board yesterday. Yesterday's total of over 1100 recipients of relief was phenomenal, and was more than double tho previous highest number of 475, dealt with in the depth of winter. 'Applicants included not only aged and infirm persons, but also able-bodied relief workers, whoso resources have been depleted owing to the closing down of relief work during tho holiday period. Long beforo the office doors were opened at 8.30 a.m. applicants had arrived to take np positions in the queue that was rapidly forming. An unruly sec! ion arrived at a more leisurely hour. Instead of forming at tho end of tho line some of tho newcomers attempted to " jump tho claims " of those already waiting. C'onfijsion resulted and both Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of tho Hospital Board, and Mr. C. N. Newman, chief relieving officer, attempted to remonstrate with the malcontents, but in vain. Busy Time For Stall. To cope with tho position three policeimen were summoned. They had no difficulty in restoring order, but to prevent any further trouble four additional policemen appeared on the scene. A few of them remained until the final applicants had ,b«en attended to in the early part of tho evening. Both tho ordinary office and the one usually used only for women wero working at high pressure throughout tho day. An augmented relief staff of about 20 was insufficient to deal speedily with the hundreds of cases which were presented. It was an almost impossible task and tho manner in which tho applicants were dealt with was remarkable in its efficiency. An equally busy time was experienced at s tho special department oi the grocery contractors to tho board, Hutchinson Brothers, Limited. Special arrangements, even to providing chairs for the more feeble applicants, had been made, however, and no difficulty was experienced. Tho' commodities most in demand were butter and cheese, flour, sugar and matches. Honey was eagerly sought after, especially by mothers whose children have been- unable to shako off tho effects of whooping cough contracted during the recent minor epidemic. In special cases chits had been issued for a special patent food to be given to sick children. " Limit Has Been Beached.". Tho desperate nature of tho position was' emphasised by Mr. Wallace last evening. " Tho fact that for the first time in the history of the relief office policemen had to be summoned to prevent unruliness is sufficient indication that the limit has been reached," be said. "If the Government does not do something about tho matter, the staff will break down. Moreover, the increasing number of relief workers seeking charitable aid is straining the board's finances to the utmost. And yet it is impossible for the board to turn a deaf ear to tho application of a man whoso family faces tho prospect of being .without bread on New Year's Day." Similar views were expressed by Mr. W. K. Howitt-, chairman of tho Relief Committee of the board. He pointed out that if the present situation continued aged and infirm people would be forced to suffer at the expense of able-bodied relief workers. "It is, crippling the board's essential work," he added. Both Mr. Wallace and Mr. Howitt commended the fine work performed by Mr. Newman and his staff. Appeal to Minister. The relief office has open every day - except Christmas Day during the holiday period. About 200 cases were handled on Tuesday. Relief will be available' again to-day, and, if necessary, a skeleton staff will attend to urgent cases to-morrow, New Year's Day. Tho position is expected to continue to be serious for the -next few days, as it will bo some time before all relief works are resumed. To direct the attention of the Government to the seriousness of the position, a telegram was sent yesterday by Mr. M. J. Savage, M.P., who is a member of -tbo Auckland Hospital Board, to the Minister in charge of unemployment, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates. The text of tho telegram was:—"The condition of unemployment reached an unprecedented stage in Auckland to-day. Hundreds are assembling at the Hospital Board Offices for-relief and the machinery for dealing with applications must break down at the present rate. Is it not possible for a special effort to be made to relieve the position ? Further drafts of men should be sent to work at once if absolute chaos is to be prevented."