WINTER RELIEF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23053, 2 June 1938, Page 16

WINTER RELIEF

DEMANDS IN DUNEDIN MANY APPLICATIONS MADE RESULT OF HIGHER COSTS [BY TELKCIUPH —OWN* CORRESPONDENT] DUNEDIN, "Wednesday That the less fortunate citizons are finding it just as difficult to make ends meet at the moment as they did this time last year was made apparent when a reporter inquired at various social service organisations concerning the position. Indeed, most of these channels lor relief have had greater demands made upon them within the past few days or weeks than has been the case for some time past. So far as the Mayor's relief organisation for necessitous cases is concerned, it has received more applications for assistance during the present month than during any previous May for a few years past. Further, it has been found that individual cases require greater assistance than hitherto. Over 200 cases have been handled by this organisation in the last 30 days. The increase in the demands made upon most of the social service organisations is not easy to account for, except by the colder weather, but it is reported by those in charge of each of these departments that many applicants complain that the greatly increased cost of living leaves an insufficient margin for them to dispense with the assistance rendered by the various organisations. POSITION IN AUCKLAND ' STEADY IMPROVEMENT The opinion that there had, if anything, been an improvement in the relief position at Auckland was expressed by the majority of officials of city relief organisations yesterday. It was usual, they said, for the onset of winter to bring an increased number of applications for assistance compared with a few months ago, but there was no such increase compared with last winter. "There is not to any extent the same amount of poverty as there was a few years ago," said the Very Rev. Father H. F. Holbrook, when speaking of this year's experience of the Mayor s relief organisation. "Hie position has been improving steadily for the last three years and, although we are i*ecen ing applications for winter comforts, such as coal and blankets, there has been an all-round improvement, 1 think, since last year." Sister Esther said the position was certainly no worse than it was last year, and if anything it was slightly better. One difficulty which both applicants for relief and relief organisations had to meet was the increased cost of commodities. The city missioner, the Rev. Jasper Calder, stated that there seemed to be no noticeable difference so far. I here might be fewer applications, but it was very difficult to toll.