ALLEGED DISTRESS IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14280, 31 July 1908, Page 5

ALLEGED DISTRESS IN CHRISTCHURCH.

SALVATION ARMY EXPERIMENT. PRACTICALLY NO WANT. (Feb United Pbess Association.) CHRISTCHUBOH, July 30. The Salvation Army kept "open house" at' tho barracks in Chester street to-day, the object being to assist men and women who wero in distress owing to want of employment. Tho intention of Urigadier Albiston and his ollicors was to give temporary asaistaaico in tho way of food to those who ropresotitcd that they required that help, and to mako inquiries into the cases with a. view of giving further assistance if necessary. Tliero was, however, no frenzied rush of applicants for the free dinners. Tho callers were mostly women, whose distress was not oaused through any lack of employment, but through the inability of their husbands, through illhealth or other oause, to work. The eases were inquired into by Staff-captain Simms, who is if) chargo of tho Qhrisichureh corps. He informed a Truth reporter that tho oases referred to above wero all that had come under tho notice of tho Army. The peoplo conccrned had not mingled with tile unemployed, but they had come out purely on account of the offer of assistance reported in the newspapers. Their difficulties wero not caused by scarcity of work, and none of them was starving. If there had been any great amount of distress tlrcre would have been many more applications for assistance. Tho Army did not intend to continue tho oxparimont any longer, as the day's operations showed that there was practically no necessity for it. Tho few cases which had been revealed would be attended to, and necessary assistance given.