THE RELIEF OF DISTRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21409, 10 August 1931, Page 10

THE RELIEF OF DISTRESS

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The Mayor of St. Kilda assures the public that the first notice he received was contained in my letter of July 31. Written notice —Yes! but verbal notice many times covering many weeks. This is not a personal matter. _ As chairman of the Dunedin Citizens’ Relief Committee I have been acting on ite resolution passed some time ago that, owing to shortage of funds, the St. Kilda Council must, along with other outside boroughs, deal with its own distressed. Perhaps an amicable an-angement could be made if the Mayor of St. Kilda and some of his council were to meet the Dunedin Citizens’ Relief Committee. Referring to reflection on Mr Neale’s depot, none was contended. Mr Neale gave the Citizens’ Committe ; e to understand that he was closing his depot, except for his church people, and on that information the words referred to were written.—l am, etc,, R. S. Blauk, Mayor.

TO THE EDITOR Sir, -—Allow me to make a little comment on the letter in issue of Saturday, written by the'Mayor of St. Kilda (Air J. Beattie). With all due respect to him I may express the opinion that it was unnecessary for him to state that it was Air Andrews’s own suggestion that the funds from the St. Kilda effort should be handed over to Air Neale’s depot. I entertain no antagonism whatever toward either Air Neale or Air As a matter of fact they have both proved themselves to be worthy and useful citizens. and I personally acquainted them both with the true facts of the case, which were, as I have already stated, until 1 am sick and tired, that I was approached by a resident in the city area to ask for the free use of the Coronation Hall for a certain concert party, to hold a concert in aid of Air Neale’s mission. It does not follow that it was my suggestion in the first place that the funds should be handed over to Mr Neale. I was speaking on behalf of the resident whom I was representing. After the free use of the hall had been granted, the person who made the request through me became extinct, and to prevent trading under false colours I formed a committee in St. Kilda which instructed me to write the Borough Council again, asking _ for a transfer to it of the previous privilege to enable us ts start a coal fund in St. Kilda. In the meantime, one of Air Neale s staff, who was on our committee, informed me that there would shortly be no Neale’s mission, as an amalgamation was about to take place. At that time, no association had been formed in St. Kilda. — I am, etc., ' B. J. Andrews, Hon. Secretary St. Kilda Unemployed Relief Work. August 9.