CASES OF DISTRESS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17057, 11 June 1926, Page 5

CASES OF DISTRESS.

CIfRISTCHURCH UNEM-

PLOYED

SOCIAL WORKER'S COMPLAIN*!

tcjpteial 10 the tkiald.i CIiRISTCIICIvCH, this day

Denouncing employers who give ughi work to strung, able-bodied men wiiiu, lessrobust or"-partly disabled men wak al..out idle, a .social worker to-day declared that much of the distress in the city existed because the big. healthy men were holding down the jobs that should be given to uiose who, through disability, were unable to do heavy wm'k. "J know of a number of cases in the city," she said, "wnere mien Light job* as liftmen are held by strung, healthy men, This also apph.es to many married women,who have Husbands and f ami lie.-. worKing, and bringing in good wages, but v. ho go to wors tliemiielyßs, sellish.i\ holding jobs which would ple.venl widows and ot'ier dcs.-rv.114 "uses trbm liuviaig u

appiy to cliaritaoly organisations to: help." According to this sociafi worker, tlleitis far more employment among girts am. women I hi., year Mian has been the cast for some years, ami a great deal of dis tiess 'is resulting. 'Selfishness is re i,pon.sible for a great deal of the pov.ertj which my organisation has to deal with, she Ml id. "In the coarse of 111}' dlltie. I. ecine iicross dozens ol cases of ofd people, now [kii-i working age, who Lave families, who are- giving I hern 110 a&iiatancc at all. In some instance* I know it is hard for sons and daughters, with large families of their own. to givt to their own parents' -support, but there are few who cannot give at least a couple of .shillings a week. I know of Severn] such cake* where there are families of grown soli; and daughters who are leaving their mother* and fathers to appeal for charity, for coal, blanket; and hod. SELFISH EMPLOYERS.

Regarding sdfishnoss," she continued

"this a .so applies to some employers win. pav miserable wages to indigent women wli ■) do othte-clcaning won: for them, lle-e :» a oase in point. An old lady, wh :?e bus! and is :nc:ip;/'it/ited. starts work cleaning out in n citv i.ndualrial .11 ern every meriting al 730 o'clock. She wor'-.-: steadi'y t It 1100:1, and, doe: this every day, inchidihg Saturday*, fft. the handsome sum of HI a week. She used to get more, but a new manage was appointed, and he cut her wages. down jxt the present very low level. This is .all she has to keen the wolf from the do-. Her little home, luckily, is her own. and U spotlessly rlean, hit the fitil> on the bad consisted of wheat Picks neatly joined together and washed, Hi; fim'lv'Vhe was forced to apply to charily. ' She is »mh\v to pet other work, try as she w',ll, and this is not an

vjated ' ui'e. We meet with many like th s where the people hold out til! the •Al before as'jing for charity."