BOOTS FOR UNEMPLOYED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21981, 16 June 1933, Page 10

BOOTS FOR UNEMPLOYED

In conversation with aDaily Times reporter yesterday an official of the Men’s Employment Bureau stated that it was anticipated that the distribution of boots to unemployed men would probably be commenced nest week. It was intended to deal with the needs of the men in the country first, and already samples had been sent out to 30 certifying officers in Otago and Southland, who had been asked to allow the men concerned to make selections of the types required. Some delay had been experienced in the delivery of the first orders, owing to the difficulties encountered by the manufacturers, when' the contracts were first placed, in securing supplies of a certain type of leather. This difficulty had now been overcome, and it was expected that the 5000 pairs of boots ordered for_ Otago and Southland would be placed in the hands of the distributors shortly. An office for dealing with applications for boots had been set up at the corner of King street and Moray place. It would depend upon the speed with which the boots were delivered by the manufacturers whether a surplus over the requirements of the unemployed in the country would be available within the next week or two for men in the city, as no attempt would be made to deal with applications from the city unemployed until the demand in ' the country had been satisfied. It was considered, however, that the issuing of the 6000 pairs would be completed by the end of August, No. 1 DEPOT Of late the No. 1 depot has been very busy, due no doubt to the fuller realisation of the assistance that may be obtained there, as well as to the period of the year. Over 30 new enrolments have been made during the past month. Garden lime is now obtainable from Mr Page at the King street gate of the Gardens any afternoon (Saturday excepted) from 4 to 5 o’clock. The food depot at the Salvation Army Barracks is very busy, 60 families having been served_ last week. All the payments made to this depot are spent in purchasing flour, oatmeal, sugar, etc. The executive thanks all who are contributing to the pound a week scheme, and /urges them to continue the regular supply so that the depot may be able to continue every Friday. From the various stores last week 120 parcels were received. ... ROSLYN DEPOT The monthly combined meeting of the executive and committee of the Roslyu depot was held on Tuesday night, when there was a large attendance of members. Mr Moir was in the chair, and the meeting was' opened with prayer by the Revs. J. D. Smith and Mr Avery. The Rev. Mr Avery and Miss Taylor were added to the committee, and the Rev. J. D. Smith, and Sister Nicholson were present by invitation. The members stood in silence as a mark of sympathy with the Rev, Mr Standage in the death of his mother. Members were asked to visit as many as possible of the relief workers homes in their immediate vicinity. The chairman gave a resume of the proceedings at the last meeting of the central executive. Mrs Falconer reported on the work of the various departments, stating that there was a small credit balance in each. Mattresses, double and single, and blankets were still urgently _ needed. Guilds and sewing circles were in active operation in most parts of the district, and another was about to resume at bt. John’s. Adjutant Kermode reported on the food department, stating that there was a small debit balance. He thanked those who had so, long and so faithfully contributed to the. pound a week scheme, and urged them still to continue, as the need was becoming greater, over 100 families having been supplied with groceries weekly. It was agreed that the depot should express its appreciation ot the Unemployment Board’s scheme in providing boots for relief workers. The following were thanked for gifts during the month:— Mesdames James Hogg, Anderson, Bundle, Price, Chase, Gray, Lawn, Wright, E. P. G. Falconer, Gilmore, Worthington, Hewitson, Misses White, Ironside, Bathgate, and Shortt, cash; Miss Ferguson, £1; “ Anonymous,’ pen; Miss K. Currie, £3; Mrs Towan (Cromwell), £1; Miss Shortt, £5; Mrs Cook, £1 for boots; Miss Callendar, 51b tea. The depot also acknowledges the receipt of parcels sent in by unknown friends. GROUPS TO REPORT

Reserves Department.—Groups will report for work at 8 a.m. to-day as under: —603, 604, 703, at Opoho Football Group Transferred. —Group No. 352, hitherto employed by the Works Department, has now been transferred to the Otago Education Board, and will commence at 8 a.m. on Saturday at the Albany Street School, • Waterside Workers.—All waterside workers who have not filled in Form U.B 32a in respect of the months April and‘May and returned them to the Unemployment Bureau by July 1 will not be given relief work for the month. MARRIED MEN’S CAMPS VOLUNTARY ASPECT EMPHASISED (Peb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 15. «We do not want to be hard on married men and their families. We realise that they are having a difficult time now. We say that if the Public Works and Forestry Department’s camps are manned voluntarily nobody will be forced to go into the camps. -those camps ought to be manned, and they very likely will be manned,” said the Minister of Employment (Mr A. Hamilton), in reply to a deputation from the Keliet Workers’ Union which waited on him today to protest against compulsion being used for married men to go into camps. The deputation said there was no objection to married men voluntarily going into camps. . , Mrs Otham said the wives of many relief workers strongly objected to their husbands being sent compulsorily to camps. At present the families of these men were practically on the bread-line. What was the Government going to do for the families who were left behind in a miserable position? Other speakers gave instances of the distressed condition of the families of many relief workers, and it was asserted that these conditions would be made much worse by the breadwinner of the family having to leave his home and go into camp. ~ , In reply, the Minister said he thought too much was being made of the compulsory element. He realised the worry and distressing conditions which existed in the homes of many of the unemployed. He pointed out that there were men wanted in some of tfie camps to-day, and it was difficult to get full response. He could not see why there should be such a strong objection to going to those camps if the payment was fair and the conditions were good. The Forestry Department wished to have trees planted now, and it seemed strange that there was a difficulty in getting men to go into those camps. If the Public Works and Forestry camps were manned there would be no compulsion needed. He thought those camps would be filled and that would greatly relieve the present difficulty. The Government would try to get the camps manned in a voluntary way, and after that was done the position would be reviewed; CHRISTCHURCH RELIEF FUND TOTAL STEADILY MOUNTING. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 15. The total of the fund being raised for the relief of distress by a committee of city business men has now reached £5660. The secretary announced to-day that gifts of goods had boon made or promised to an additional value of £1250. ANTI-CAMP MOVEMENT (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 15. Three hundred relief workers assembled outside the Town Hall this afternoon, but were prevented from entering by a possrof police. The men, who wore quiet and well behaved, then adourned to the Trades Hall, where an orderly meeting, punctuated with a. few fiery speeches, was held. A resolution passed to the effect that “The militant unity of the employed and unemployed be called upon to support the anti-camp movement to the last ounce.”