WINTER DISTRESS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18399, 17 May 1934, Page 4

WINTER DISTRESS

NEED FOR RELIEF COMMITTEE’S APPEAL GOODS & MONEY WANTED A strong appeal for monetary assistance and gifts of goods and’ clothing for the relief of distress in Gisborne during the winter months is being made by the Gisborne Relief Committee, and it is hoped that the response to this appeal will be such that the committee this year will be in a position to afford a measure of assistance to the unemployed at least equal to that provided last year. The appeal has been prepared by the chairman of the Relief Committee, Mr. Howard Kenway, in the form of a letter to the editor of the Herald, and reads as follows: “With the approach of winter the executive committee, while making a fresh appeal for help in money and in kind, wish first to take this opportunity to offer to one and all who .helped, in any way to carry out last year’s relief, our most, sincere' thanks for most generous and practical help) both in money, meat, food, clothing, and miscellaneous but most useful gifts of all descriptions. “It is impossible in this letter to particularise too closely, but I may lie allowed to refer to one or two contributors. The R.S.A. up the East Coast arranged with their customary skill and ability a most notable and generous cattle’ drive, among all the Settlers in that district, to each of whom we offer our grateful thanks. .Other similar drives, both of, sheep and cattle, were equally acceptable and equally generous. “To all, both in town or country, who always kept us in mind and Siwjj to it that ample supplies of bread, vegrv tables of every description, cakes and * foodstuffs of all sorts, were available at the depot, all willingly given, we offer the same feeling. The response to Rotary’s regular annual canvass of the town for clothes, bedding, boots, the Savage Club’s parcel korero, always a signal success, and regular contributions from many ladies of various articles of clothing to Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, have made an invaluable addition to the practical relief that has been given, and that was in many cases desperately needed. The very generous terms agreed to by the owner of the paddocks at Ormond for allowing us l to take all the firewood that was available on his land after the previous flood, enabled us to make weekly distributions to all who needed' firing, and a more welcome or practical form of help in winter time could not be devised. “While I have above tried to express the unanimous feelings of my executive, towards one and all who have so willingly helped us. I cannot let the opportunity pass without expressing our sense of debt to Mr. Cox and his assistants at the depot for always carrying out with outstanding ability and without friction, and with admirable fairmindedness, the difficult work of distribution and management of the depot in Childers road. “I am now, as chairman of the executive, and without the consent or knowledge of my colleagues, taking Hie liberty of expressing my personal feelings of thanks and gratitude—in which I feel sure all my readers will emphatically agree—to. Mrs. Beer for her neverfailing tact and kindness at Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, to the Rev. F. I. Parsons for nis active oversight and wise co-operation with Mr. Cox at the depot, and last but not least to Mr. W. Oakden, without whose invaluable work as secretary, voluntarily and freely given at all times and places when really overloaded with other work, should have made a poor show indeed. “I have above endeavored to express, however ill-worded, the executive ooinmittea’s thanks to all. It is now only for me to add with the weight that over two years’ experience in closest touch with this work can give, my personal request and hope, and that of all nty executive and the general committee, that we may again receive the same generous help from all for the coming winter. Our'funds are very low. We shall need more to purchase potatoes, coke, seeds for Score Point and Roebuck road gardens, benzine for lorries for firewood carting and bringing vegetables from the gardens, leather for boot repairing, and sundry other objects. Any amount, large or small, will be grate- . fully accepted and acknowledged'. As farmers have to a considerable extent benefited by improved markets for their wool and sheep, it is hoped that this fact may be practically shown in tllieir financial assistance for us, and as this improved outlook must have its beneficial effect on the whole community, it surely is not asking too much that it may be reflected in generous money gifts to a cause which must appeal to all people of goodwill. “While cash in generous quantity is a necessity to us, wq also hope that the very numerous subscriptions in kindsheep, cattle, clothing, boots, vegetables, etc. —that we received last year may be generously repeated, and that matlV fresh contributors may come forward. All may be assured that nothing will Imj wasted and that every endeavor is made to reach those who need and desire it.

“Subscriptions will be gladly received by any of the executive—the Mayor, Mrs. Beer, the Salvation Army captain, „ the Rev. Mr. Parsons, Mr. Oakden, or by myself, and will be duly acknowledged in the press. The need is great and pressing. Do not delay. Do your part so that we may be in a positioaV to try to do our part for the very number who in most cases through do fault of their own are in a less fortunate position than we find ourselves today.”