CENTRAL RELIEF SOCIETY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19512, 10 June 1933, Page 8

CENTRAL RELIEF SOCIETY

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. The Management Committee of the Central Relief Society met last night. Present: Mr W. T. Ritchie Mrs F. Raymond. Archdeacon H. W. Monaghan, the Rev. H. L. Fiebig, Messrs A. R. Thomson, W. J. Smith, G. D. Virtue. J. P. Steven. J. W. Fair, R. W. Simpson and R. S. Goodman. Deputation to Minister. The chairman reported that he had visited Wellington with regard to the proposed Hospital. Board grant. He had reen the Minister of Health (the Hon. J. A. Young), and had been given a hearty welcome and a lot of sympathy, but had not been given any promises. It seemed that the Hospital Boards had come to an agreement that they would not dispense any assistance to ablebodied unemployed, but the Minister said that if the relief was for women and children, it would be a different matter. The speaker said he had pointed out that relief was handed out in proportion to the sizes of the families, so that it actually was for the women and children. They seemed to be willing to assist, but could not go past their policy. It -was hoped that while the Society might not get the full amount of the proposed grant, they might get an increase on the sum mentioned.

Issue of Meat.

Continuing, the chairman said he had seen the Commissioner of Unemployment (Mr C. G. Godfrey) about the meat issue, but he had been told that they could get meat only if they paid a penny a pound for it. Possibly boots and clothing would be provided, but that was for the unemployed, and was not much good to the Society. Mr Virtue suggested that the Society should ask other relief bodies to cooperate in the matter. All such societies would be just as anxious as they were about it.

Archdeacon Monaghan said they had been told at a recent deputation to the Minister that the charge of a penny had been made at the instigation of the Auckland Relief Society.

The secretary then read the following proposed arrangements for the next three weeks: “In view of the announcement by the Government that free issues of meat are now discontinued, but that meat would be available for purchase, the following arrangements have now been made and will operate in the meantime. Any man while receiving work from the Unemployment Board may purchase meat through the Central Relief Society. Orders must be left at the Relief Society’s office on or before Tuesday of each week, and meat will be issued on the following Friday. Hind leg (101 b) 1/3; fore leg (101 b), 1/-; loin (101 b), 9d. In addition to the above, an issue of free meat will be made to families of five children and over, as has been done during the past six months.” The scheme was adopted.

Returned Soldiers’ Deputation.

A deputation from the Returned Soldiers’ Association, comprising Messrs J. D. Mcßobie (president). J. M. C. McLeod, E. D. Mcßae and Dr. F. F. A. Ulrich, waited on the Committee.

Mr Mcßobie explained that the request of the deputation was that the Society should not take into consideration any extra assistance applicants received from the Returned Soldiers’ Association funds. It was conceded by authorities that many of the men who had served overseas were now constitutionally unsound, and needed extra assistance. As a result, their children were unfit, and it was not desirable that they should be allowed to grow up unfit. The Association considered that those men who had risked everything in the country’s service were entitled to any little extras which they could be given. After all, the Returned Soldiers’ Association were not giving much extra, only 12/6 a month, which represented a day’s work on the stand down week.

Mr McLeod pointed out that the Society was giving relief, but the Returned Soldiers’ Association gave only work. Anything the “digger” got from the Returned Soldiers’ Association he had to work for. The chairman said that the Society had commenced with the idea of avoiding all overlapping, and in that they had succeeded in getting the public’s sympathy, and overcoming all possibility of imposition. The first thing they had to do was to co-ordinate their efforts and, sympathetic as they were to the Returned Soldiers’ Association, if they fell in with the deputation’s request, the question to be considered was —would the fact that they were overlooking the extra assistance given to members of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, alienate public sympathy towards the Society? All possibility of the finger being pointed at the Society had to be avoided, and they did not want to run the risk of leaving themselves open to the accusation of giving preferential treatment to one section of the community. Also, they had to cut their suit according to their cloth, and there was very little cloth at present. He could assure them that they had the Society’s sympathy, and that the Society would do all they could to assist.

Mr McLeod mentioned that at times applicants complained that they had been asked how much assistance they had received from the Returned Soldiers’ Association. He asked why that was done.

The secretary stated that the question had been asked only when there was a free issue. Since October applicants had been paying lor their assistance, and no distinction was made between ex-soldiers and others. The chairman said that the question was asked when a free issue was in force, because it was essential to know’ just how much relief each applicant was entitled to in proportion to his average earnings. Mr McLeod said that he supposed that in the near future the Society would be reverting to a free issue. The chairman said there was little prospect of that in the near future. That depended upon the generosity of the public of Timaru. The Society were organising a campaign for funds, and it remained to be seen what support was forthcoming. Secretary’s Report. The secretary (Mr E. G. Cliffin) reported that the number on the roll at April Ist was 706 and the number on June Ist was 733, an increase for the two months of 27. Families numbering 390 received assistance during April, and 420 in May. The income had amounted to £658 3/2, sales £497/7/8, donations £l6O 15 6, and the expenditure. including May accounts, amounted to £762 29, leaving a debit for the period of £lO3/19/7. Of the expenditure of £762/2/9 the amount contributed by the Society was £264/15 1, and the value of the goods supplied was £224 2 4. The number of bags of coal issued in May was 664. against 513 in April, and of firewood 814 in May, against 650 in April. Sixty bags of table potatoes had,been dug and sent in from the High School grounds, and 152 bags of mixed potatoes had been received from King's property. The report was adopted. The following tenders were accepted: Coal. Kaitangata Company: bread. J. S. Wilson; carting, Gould and Co.