The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. MONDAY, JULY 16, 1928. FOR INVERCARGILL

Southland Times, Issue 20539, 16 July 1928, Page 6

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. MONDAY, JULY 16, 1928. FOR INVERCARGILL

The unemployed demonstration coming so closely on the heels of the Mayor’s announcements that work was to begin on the Oreti Road and that a fund was opened to enable citizens to assist in providing work for those in need of it, appears as a rather unnecessary display of activity. There have been delays which have been too protracted it seems to us, but nothing is to be gained by apportioning the responsibility for these at this stage. Operations could have been started earlier, especially on the Oreti Road, and it is possible that other avenues for the absorption of workless men could have been found, but interest now should centre on the building up of the Mayor’s Fund to provide for the men who will not be taken on the Oreti Road work. The Mayor expects fifty men to find work on the Oreti Road, but that leaves a large number still to be dealt with, and the appeal on behalf of the Mayor’s Fund is urgent. We confess we are not vitally concerned about the causes of unemployment at this stage. If everybody would drop the discussion of the origins and theoretical cures, if politics were kept wholly off the stage, it would be easier to concentrate on the immediate need. It seems to us that this is a time when those who give quickly are more to be admired and welcomed than those who give twice, because in any circumstances a couple of weeks must elapse before the Mayor’s Fund can operate in a practical way. The appeal so far is not backed up by any definite active endeavour. One wonders if the establishment of a fund of this kind should not be accompanied by something in the nature of a canvass so that the collection of the money required can be carried on as speedily as possible. As the money is to be expended in street beautifying, the donations to the Mayor’s Fund really represent the measure of the citizen’s desire to effect improvements in the appearance of the streets. The new Invercargill Beautifying Society has been launched and this is among the works it has advocated in the interests of the City Beautiful. Could there be a better occasion for the Beautifying Society’s initial effort to induce the public to show more than the interest of spectators? By entering on this project promptly the society would be sure of a good start to activities it will be keen to push on in later years. Street beautifying is a generous term, and as soon as it is seriously weighed the conscientious citizen becomes aware of the enormous field demanding attention. The Beautifying Society is an organization which has as one of its

aims the raising of funds by public subscriptions or through the display of private generosity, and it seems to us that in this connection it could assist materially by supporting the Mayor’s Fund with a definite campaign. It is possible, and it seems to us wise, to look on this matter as one of dual interest. Through the Mayor’s Fund the unemployed will be helped, and the appearance of Invercargill will be improved. One will make its appeal to charity, but the other does no more than ask those citizens who can afford it to assist in beautifying Invercargill. The men who will secure work are not made the recipients of charity. This fund will be expended, with the Government subsidy, on work of definite value, and it seems to us that no better opportunity could be desired than this. Although the Mayor has opened the fund ostensibly on behalf of the unemployed, the actual position is that Invercargill is appealing to its citizens to take up the task of street decoration, and to seize the opportunity to initiate the work with the aid of the subsidy from the - Government. The Beautifying Society should snter this campaign with avidity. We hope it will and we hope this appeal to borough patriotism will meet with such a big response that the public will be assured of the two immediate problems being solved quickly and effectively.