RELIEF COUNCIL FORMED

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1933, Page 9

RELIEF COUNCIL FORMED

DISTRESS IN NEW PLYMOUTH EFFORTS TO BE CO-ORDINATED. VARIOUS- COMMITTEES. SET UP. NEW CONTROL OF WELCOME LODGE The co-ordination of the work of social welfare organisations at New Plymouth and the unified control of Welcome Lodge were agreed to last night at a representative meeting of those interested. It was decided to form the following Council of Relief: The Mayor (Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths)), Mr. P. E. Stainton (New Plymouth Relief Association), Miss E. Andrews (National Council of Women), Miss Drew (W.C.T.U.), Mr§. W C. Weston (Plunket Society), Miss Greenwell (Y.W.C.A.), Mr. F. G. Grayling (Round Table Club), Mr. D. LeC. Morgan (Farmers’ Union), Rev. R. B. Gosnell and Mr. J. Brown (Taranaki Hospital Boat'd), Rev. R. Fordham Clarke (Toe H), Archdeacon F. G. Evans (Ministers’ Association), Mr. V. C. Davies (Rotary Club), Mr. J. R., Sceats (Commercial Travellers’ Association), Mr. E. J. Carr (Returned Soldiers’ Association), Mrs. H. V. S. Griffiths (District Nurse Association), Mr. A. F. Sandford (Taranaki Chamber of Commerce),.Mrs. A. C. H. Collins (Victoria League), Father Henley (St. Vincent de Paul Society), Archdeacon G. H. Gavin (Red Cross Society), Sisters Corkfll and Gill, and Nurse Peterson.' At the conclusion of the meeting the Mayor, Father Henley, the Rev. R. B. Gosnell, Mrs. Weston, Miss Andrews and Messrs Stamton and Carr conferred upon the appointment of sub-committees of the council with the following result:—

Relief committee: Mr. Stainton (convener), Sisters Corkill and Gill, Nurse Peterson, the Rev. R. B. Gosnell, Father Henly and Mr. Carr. House:' Father Henley (convener), Mesdames W. C. Weston and H. V. S. Griffiths, Miss Greenwell, Archdeacon Evans, Messrs Morgan and Grayling. Pound scheme and old clothes: Mr. Sceats (convener), Mrs. Collins, Misses Drew, and Andrews, the Rev. .Fordham Clarke and Mr. Davies. \

Self help club and boot repairing: Mr.' E. J. Carr (convener), Archdeacon Gavin, Messrs Sandford and Stainton. Itinerants: The Rev. R.. B. Gosnell (convener), Messrs J. Brown and E. Gilmour.

The conveners will call the commit-; tees together as early as possible in order to elect, chairmen, who will then become members of an executive and finance committee over which the Mayor will preside and which will be in a position to deal with any emergency that may arise. REPRESENTATIVE MEETING. The presided oyer the general meeting and in addition to those appointed to the' council there were present: Mr. T. C. List (Rotary Club), Mr. C. P. Smith (Round Table Club), Mrs. . T. M. Avery and Miss Helen Atkinson (District Nurse Association), Mrs. Hislop and Miss Jackett (Y.W.CA.)- An apology for absence was received from Sister Gill, who Is at Wellington. The Mayor explained that the meeting had been called by. the. New Plymouth Relief Association with the object of coordinating the activities of the various organisations of the town .interested in the relief of distress. He was sure, he said, that those connected with such matters realised that the more co-ordin-ation there was the more efficient the services would become, with a considerable reduction in expense.

Mr. Stainton said'' that the Relief Association, of which he was chairman, was formed about eight years ago at the suggestion of a few citizens who saw the need for such a body. The association had to function up to the present, and was still 'functioning. As the years went by the calls upon its services had increased daily. The past year had been a particularly busy one, with many calls on the financial resources of the association and the time of the members.

Since its inception the association t had co-operated with the Taranaki Hospital Board and had been materially assisted by the board in carrying out. its work. The board had acted ,as book-keeper, had banked the association’s money and paid its accounts. Although the functions of the board and the association were distinct and as far as possible overlapping was avoided, it had been felt by the association during the past few months that on account of the great and growing need for the relief of distress a comprehensive committee should be set up and should be called . the Mayor’s Relief Committee. Its objects would be to achieve co-ordination, and the most effective results, to avoid overlapping, and to be ready to deal with any emergency when called together by the Mayor. . The principal work for the meeting that night would be to arrive at a means of accomplishing this. It equid not be denied that the need for relief measures was increasing as time went on. If he were to quote figures from the association—apart from the charitable aid given by the Hospital Board—people. would be astounded. He urged, therefore, that the organisations represented that night should get together and adopt a co-ordinated plan of action before the winter arrived. Only in that way could they hope to deal efficiently With the problems that might arise. Mr. Stainton said that mainly the work of the Relief Association had been accomplished by Sisters Corkill and Gill and Nurse Peterson. He paid tribute to their unassuming but invaluable work in this respect. The money for the work was subscribed by private citizens, and it had therefore not been necessary to give a public account of receipts and expenditure; however, the Government auditor checked the accounts, in the office of the Hospital Board. One of the features of the relief administered at New Plymouth had been that the help was given by the ladies mentioned in an unobtrusive, tactful manner, so that others need not know of the’assistance provided. DISTRESSING FEATURE. A most distressing fact was that some families that in the past had been able to help the work of the association now found themselves fallen by the way and in need of help themselves. These families did not come within the sphere of charitable aid, and they were glad of assistance now that adversity had come upon them. . . ■ Mr. Stainton said that the success of the Relief Association had only been made possible by the magnificent response from the citizens of New Plymouth, from the . National Council of Women and its pound scheme, the Commercial Travellers’ Association, and the New Plymouth Savings Bank and its fine' gifts. He acknowledged gratefully the support thus given. The Relief Committee was a voluntary organisation supported by purely voluntary contributions. It had been felt by the association, however, that the work had become so important and extensive that it was only

right that a thoroughly representative committee should be set up to carry on the. function of helping those who had fallen. on. .hard times. There was also the future of Welcome Lodge to be considered. This had been started by Adjutant. Green, -formerly qi the Salvation Army. Practically lone-handed he had established an institution that had-done a vast amount of good. Upon his departure .from New Plymouth the Relief Association, in conjunction with ' the Hospital Board, had undertaken the control of Welcome Lodge. The board had appointed representatives to confer with the association with the object of placing the future of the lodge on a satisfactory basis. He hoped that this representative meeting would form a body to centrally administer relief in the town, the pound scheme and Welcome Lodge. The activities of the lodge were many-sided. It provided sleeping quarters for mgn and women, a boot-repair-ing shop, a kindling wood factory for boys, a self-help club and cheap meals. DUNEDIN MODEL STUDIED, • The project of a central controlling body was not novel, said Mr.. Stainton. It had been in operation at Dimedin for two years! and had. been found to be most effective. The operations at Dune-, din had been studied and the conclusion arrived at .was that it was. desirable to adopt a similar policy here. Mr. Carr, the Rev. R. B. Gosnell, Father Henley and he had gone into the! matter and had come to the conclusion that the Dunedin model should be adopted.

‘ln moving that a representative. committee should be set up, Mr. Sceats said he had felt for some time that there was too much overlapping, and too many organisations for the relief, of distress. The result j was that some dishonest people were getting help, while some deserving cases might not be. ’ This movement, would mean a reduction in overhead costs and a general benefit all round. Mr. Morgan seconded the motion. It was at his suggestion that a sub-cqmmit-. tee was appointed to insure that the personnel. of the yarious committees was drawn from those haying aptitude for the special tasks involved. Mr. List suggested , the new body should be called a Council of Relief. He proposed that a small executive of members of the council should be formed to deal with emergencies. In that way they would ensure that the work would be carried out efficiently. Mr. List said that, thanks were due to Mr. Stainton for his comprehensive and illuminating address on the subject. He. feared the need for relief was going to increase during the year. Co-ordinated effort was ‘required to cope with the. problem efficiently. Mr. Sceats said it should be impressed on the public that the combined organisation was what they should subscribe to. • Mr. Stainton said that was a very important aspect of the matter. As . far as relief matters were concerned New Plymouth had always been known for its generosity; it could hold its own with any other town in the Dominion.. Nevertheless, there was a large amount ; of money went out of the town for organisations that! might have quite laudable objects. They had to remember, ..however, that charity began at home. After they had provided for their own people in distress they could begin to give outside. Contributors to the funds of the Council of Relief would know that the money would be distributed'to help the distressed people in this district only.

Messrs. Stainton and Carr were appointed secretaries of the council pro tern.