LEAGUE OF SOCIAL SERVICE.

Southland Times, Issue 17736, 14 August 1917, Page 4

LEAGUE OF SOCIAL SERVICE.

The League of Social Service which has just begun work in Invercargill deserves all the encouragement and support that can be extended to it, and there is no difficulty in giving it practical co-operation. The Social Service League is working in co-operation with the Sixpenny Clothing Club to relieve distress and improve conditions of life among the poor, particularly poor children and the aged poor. This is a prosperous town and poverty does not obtrude itself. The casual visitor might easily conclude that there is no poverty here, but a chat with those engaged in relief work, say with the two ladies who sit on the Charitable Aid Board, would disabuse his mind of the illusion. There is a necessary and merciful work to be done among the poor of the town. There are many poor children in need of clothing, and not a few old people in need of skilful and loving attention. Furthermore, it is unfortunately too true that some of the poorest homes betray a total ignorance of the rudiments of household economy, sanitation, and personal cleanliness. The League of Social Service hopes to be able to give poor children attention and provide them with the clothing they need, to look after aged poor people who have been left alone in their declining years, and where opportunity offers to teach parents the elementary rules of health and comfort, particularly the essential importance of cleanliness. The League depends entirely for financial support upon voluntary contributions, and this is where all who desire to support its work can render practical assistance. In the first place a good staff of collectors is required. Latterly the number of those engaged in collecting for the Sixpenny Clothing Club has fallen away until there are now only four collectors. This number is not nearly sufficient, and if the Social Service League is to succeeed those who are able to give time to canvassing for subscriptions and collecting them must join and work with enthusiasm. There is little doubt but that collectors for this work would meet with a cordial response wherever they went. The part of the public is to provide the league of Social Service through the Sixpenny Clothing Club with the mono;/ if needs to carry on its beneficent work. The ladies who have formed this League have seen the necessity for it. They have put their hand to the work in response to the imperious call of duty. They have the right to feel confident that if they take up the work the public will provide them with the means of carrying it on, dnd it is to be hoped that, the Sixpenny Clothing Club' will soon have a large and energetic staff of collectors, and that the income derived from subscriptions will enable the League of Social Service to alleviate poverty and distress and to give poor children a better chance of growing up strong, healthy and useful men and women.