EQUIPPING WORKERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21245, 27 July 1932, Page 14

EQUIPPING WORKERS

OPERATIONS REVIEWED j RELIEF COMMITTEE ACTIVITY RESTRICTION ON SUPPLIES An imposing schedule of goods supplied from the depot conducted by tho Auckland Metropolitan Relief Commilteo since its inauguration early in May was presented at yesterday's weekly meeting of the committee The goods purchased and ordered from funds subscribed comprised 1202 blankets, 1398 pairs of boots, 1375 shirts, 1325 denims, 350 undershirts, 300 pairs of underpants, 95 dozen pairs of socks, and 564 yards of flannel. In addition, numerous goods donated to the committee have been distributed, and from the flannel purchased many garments have been made. The treasurer, Mr. J. S. Brigham, reported that donations received totalled £2567, and payment received on account, of clothing and other goods amounted to £254, making tho total receipts £2821. Expenditure, including accounts submitted for payment that day and other outstanding accounts, amounted to £2043, leaving a surplus of £778. Assistance Last Week - Tho manager of the depot, Mr. R. Grieve, said during tiio last week 280 men, including 214 city workers, had received boots and clothing. Tho Labour Department reported that 46 men had been' sent to camp during tho samo period. Attention was drawn by tho chairman, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, to the fact that accounts submitted for payment amounted to £475. "If wo continue spending at that rate," ho said, " another fortnight will see our funds exhausted." Mr. Grievo said there were now substantial stocks in hand at the depot. Mr. Griovo added that a large portion of his time was occupied in checking lists to seo that only deserving cases were assisted. Mr. Hutchison said the committee had equipped about 1500 men. He calculated that that work cost about 25s a head for men going to camps and about 12s 6d for men working in the city. Ho considered the committee should not aim at assisting iiioro than 200 men each week. It was stated by Mr. Grieve that some men had applied for as many as four pairs of blankets, but only one pair was being issued. Spreading the Supplies It was decided that applicants should bo supplied with only ono set of each garment except socks, of which two pairs will be given. "Wo want to spread our supplies over as large a field as possible," said Mr. Hutchison. Tho attention of engineers in camps will bo drawn to tho committee's ruling. Tho question of relief for Maoris was raised in a letter from tho Akarana Maori Association, which suggested that it should bo empowered to issue chits to necessitous Maoris, who should be supplied from the committee's depot. It was stated that many Maoris wero a charge on the Unemployment Fund and several cases had been dealt with at the depot under tho ordinary requisitions. It was decided to advise the Akarana Association that, if its application referred to tho supply of clothes, apart from unemployment relief, the request would be kept in mind by tho social workers when clothes were being distributed. Tho chairman expressed doubts whether sufficient publicity had been given to tho clothes "drive" to bo undertaken by the Commercial Travellers' Association in tho Rcinuera district on Saturday. It was decided to confer on the matter with tjie organisers ot tho "drive." HELPING THE UNFIT MEN IN THE B2 CLASS ONLY SIX NOT ASSISTED. "Tho only B2 men wo are not assisting arc four married men and two single men," said Mr. W. Slaughter, officer in charge of unemployment in the Auckland Province, when speaking at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Relief Committee. Tho question had been discussed at tho previous meeting of the committee, when it was stated that neither tho Unem ployinent Board nor the Hospital Board would take responsibility for men classified as B2 (unfit for camp work and fit only for light work in town). Further discussion was then deferred until it had been ascertained from Mr. Slaughter how many men were involved. Following Mr. Slaughter's report, Mr. W. F. Stilwell said statements that hundreds of men were suffering had disturbed public opinion, and ho considered a check should be imposed on such utterances. The Chairman, Mr. G. W. Hutchison: Wo mado our representations when tho Unemployment Board was turning down married 132 men, and the position, as fatas married men wero concerned, was reviewed. Mr. Slaughter pointed out that if workcould not bo found for men they were assisted, partly with cash and partly with rations. All registered unemployed were in the chargo of the Labour Department, to which they should bo referred by social workers MANUREWA ASSOCIATION EXTENSION OF RELIEF URGED A resolution urging local bodies td\ arrange a conference with tho Government to havo unemployment relief conditions in metropolitan areas applied to country districts was carried at a meeting of tho Manurewa-Manukau Relief Workers' Association. A vote of thanks was passed to the mombers of local bodies, Churches and business peoplo for their support in tho recent protest meeting against tho failure of tho Unemployment Board to OX' tend tho revised schcmo to tho country districts. A voto of thanks was also carried to thoso who, during tho recont stand-down week, donated foodstuffs to tido tho local unemployed over that period. BOOT POOL SCHEME NEW CONTROL PROPOSED A decision to control tho boot pool, subject to satisfactory arrangements being made with tho rehabilitation committee, which has hitherto had chargo of tho activity, was made at. yesterday's meeting of tho Metropolitan Relief Commilteo. The chairman, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, said the commitleo was prepared to take over tho pool and would confer with tho rehabilitation committee regarding tho new control. It is proposed to centro the pool's activities at the relief depot in Hobson Street.