ART UNION PROCEEDS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 238, 9 May 1933, Page 5

ART UNION PROCEEDS

A Grant Declined SOCIAL WORKER'S DILEMMA Press Association— Copyright Wellington, May 8. The Hon. J. A. Young, Minister o£ Health, to-day made the following statement concerning the allocation of £3OO art union money:— "The Rev. Neale, Dunedin, telephoned me to-day at 4.45 p.m. intimating that he regretted very much that owing to pressure the church generally had brought to bear upon him he had been obliged to decline acceptance of the allocation of £3OO for his Company Bay Children's health camp, Dunedin. He stated that in the capacity of ' a social worker he made application for monetary assistance from one of the big art unions. In doing so he was under the impression that he was not acting in the capacity of a minister of religion but as a social worker doing his utmost to relieve distress among the poor, He said it was unfortunate that apart from his own views declining the money would be tantamount to penalising the poor children who needed body-building food. "I put the issue to Mr. Neale in this form," continued the Minister: ' I take it your telephone message to me is an official one intimating that in the circumstances and owing to pressure brought to bear upon you you arc obliged to decline the £300.' Mr. Neale replied that that was so. He said the Mayor of Dunedin would be writing me submitting an alternative proposal for the distribution of the £3OO, but I pointed out that in the terms of the license there could be no alternative. Any moneys not accepted would be carried forward for distribution in connection with further a*rt unions that might be held."