RELIEF OF DISTRESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21921, 3 October 1934, Page 14

RELIEF OF DISTRESS

NO DECLINE IN CASES DEMANDS UPON COMMITTEE FOOD AND CLOTHING GRANTS '"Applications continue to como in daily and there is no appreciable decrease in their numbers," said the Rev. T. Halliday, when reporting to tho Auckland Metropolitan .Unemployment Relief Committee yesterday on the distribution of relief from the funds made available from the Prosperity Fund. "However, it is to be hoped that, as wo are told that conditions are brightening, a decrease will take plac&, otherwise it will be impossible to grant in full all the requests being received." It was stated by Mr. Halliday that approximately 13,000 grants had been made by the sub-committee handling this fund, assistance having principally been in tho nature of groceries, footwear, coal,' blankets and clothing. Many, distressing cases of cancer and tuberculosis had been helped and visits paid to tho homes of the sufferers. Many men had been helped with outfits prior to going to camp and children had received shoes to enable them to attend school. Applications for maternity outfits showed no diminution and in all necessitous cases these were i;upplicd. Mr. Halliday suggested that with tho advent of "summer time" a curtailment could now be made in coal grants and that coal be given only in cases of sickness or extreme urgency. The report was received. The report of the honorary treasurer, Mr. J. S. Brigham, on tho general finances of the committee stated that at the last meeting three weeks ago the cash received had totalled £28,088. Since that date a further £I7BB had been received, including £1628 from the Lucky Star art union, £B6 on account of clothing, etc., supplied, and £66 from tho boot repairing depot. Payments to date had aggregated £24,556, and when outstanding accounts and commitments were met, there would be a surplus of £5320, of which £3OOO was on deposit. It was reported by the officer in charge of the relief depot, Mr. R. Grieve, that since the last meeting 87 men had left Auckland for various camps. During the period the depot supplied six pairs of boots, 182 'blankets, 250 denims, 287 shirts, 85 singlets, 321. pairs of socks and 16 pairs of underpants. The boot repairing department had received 711 pairs of footwear for attention. These reports were received. HOBSONVILLE DISPUTE ASSISTANCE TO MEM REFUND TO COMMITTEES Special grants were made by the Auckland Metropolitan Unemployment Relief Committee yesterday to the affiliated committees at Devonport, Northcote and Birkenhead to compensate them for the special assistance given to relief workers in their areas who declined to continue with the work at the Hobsonville air base. This matter was raised when the committee was considering the distribution of a portion of the proceeds from the Lucky Star art union to its athliated committees. It was decided to allocate £SOO on a pro rata basis. Mr. H. F. W. Meikle, Mayor of Devonport, said that it had been contended by the North Shore Mayors that manv of the men were not physically fit to do the work expected ot them, and the Unemployment Board officers had finally agreed to the men being medically .examined. Out ot 4W Devonport men, over 20 had been found to be phvsically unfit, and the remainder had been declared either A or B class men. The B men would be placed on relief work in the event of the local body being able to provide it, otherwise they would be placed on sustenance. It had been necessary to assist these men while they were without means, and in" addition to the funds received from the Metropolitan Committee, a sum of between £-50 and £4O had been raised in Devonport. Mr R Ferner. Mayor of Mount Albert, said that this difficulty was not of the borough's own seeking, but had been forced upon it and others. He moved that a special sum of £oo over and above the art union allocation bo voted to Devonport. Mr. G. Mills, Mayor of Birkenhead, said that the position had been the same in his borough, as the men from Hobsonville had been without means. He had found £lO out of his own pocket, which was distributed among the wives of the limn, and a further £ls had been collected. He asked that these sums be refunded by the committee and said that by helping the men they had saved a great deal ot trouble. . Finally Mr. Ferner amended his motion to provide for a special grant of £SO to Devonport and £25 each to Northcote and Birkenhead, and this was carried.