RELIEF OF DISTRESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21274, 30 August 1932, Page 11

RELIEF OF DISTRESS

ROTARY CLUB'S WORK

ASSISTING NINE FAMILIES CHILDREN'S CAMP ARRANGED The work being done by the Auckland Rotary Club in the relief of distress in the city was outlined by Mr. J. E. Astley, chairman of the sunshine committee, in addressing the club r.t its weekly luncheon in Milne and Choyce's Reception Hall yesterday. The president, Mr. T. U. Wells, presided. Previously, the club's sunshine fund had been used largely in helping necessitous cases among the aged, Mr. Astley said, but. this year it/ had been decided to do more to help young people.

"Perhaps never before in the history of Auckland has social and welfare work by the various organisations been so well organised and so thorough," Mr. Astley said. "We realised that in trying to work alone wo should probably have been wasting our time and we consulted the various social workers to determine our best line of action.

"Finally we decided to help in caring for nine selected families over a period of three months. In these nine families there are 42 children and in practically every one of them a baby in arms. In every case the father is either on relief work or totally unemployed through illness. We have arranged to distribute foodstuffs and clothing and to visit the families. The cost of the entire work for three months is only £SO and those of us who have seen the scheme in operation are going to work hard to have it continued for a longer period." Mr. Astley described visits that he and other members of the committee had paid to the families. The most impressive feature, he said, was the courage of the people, particularly the women, in adversity. To see them facing grim, almost hopeless conditions with smiles on their faces was sufficient to make men appreciate their own good fortune and to make them ready and willing to help to the utmost. The committee had also inspected the work of the Community Sunshine Association and had been most impressed by. the excellent results achieved. Members had immediately expressed the wish to arrange a Rotary children's health camp at Motuihi, in conjunction with the association, and the directors had granted £IOO to enable this to be done. As a result, children were now being selected from all parts of the city and a final selection of 90 would be made by officers of the association. These children would leave for the Motuihi health camp on September 10 and would return on October 8.

There were many ways in which Rotarians could help toward relieving distress in the city, Mr. Astley continued, but behind everything there was the urgent need of finance. Members of the club should exert every effort to ensure that at least £SOO was provided annually for charitable purposes.

Another branch of the club's activities was commented on by Mr. F. M. Hills, chairmafi of the vocational service committee, who appealed to members to give more attention to an analysis of business methods and to co-operation with other members of their own classification.

WORK ON COUNTY ROAD PLAN TO CLOSE CAMP OPPOSED [BT TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] TE KUITI, Monday Concern was caused in the Waitomo, Kinohaku, Te Anga, Marakopa and Kiritehere districts by a suggestion that the single men's camp on the Waitomo CavesLemon Point subsidiary highway was to be closed and the men removed to develop : mental work on the Tapuwae estate at Poro-o-tarao. The road, which is being metalled, is the main access to a large area capable of development for dairying and stock-raising. As a result of representations by Mr. W. J. Broadfoot, M.P., to the acting-Minister of Public Works. Hon. C. E. Macmillan, during the weekend, the term of the camp on the road has been extended for two months.

The unemployment committee of the Waitomo- County Council met to-day to consider the position regarding camps. The committee had brought before it a protest by settlers concerned regarding the reported intention to close the single men's camp on the Waitomo-Te Anga Road. The committee unanimously endorsed the protest and decided to communicate with the Minister, urging that the camp should continue until the -work was completed.