CENTRAL RELIEF SOCIETY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20667, 4 March 1937, Page 5

CENTRAL RELIEF SOCIETY

ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMITTEE SMALL BALANCE IN HAND The sixth annual report of the committee of the Timaru Central Relief Society contains the following:— It is gratifying to be able to report steadily improving conditions amongst those members of the community in whose interests your Society has been operating. While it is recognised that owing to different sets of circumstances some families will always at periods need assistance, the general rates of sustenance granted by the Government have raised the standard to approximately the scale upon which your Society has been working during its period of operation. At the commencement of the year your committee decided that in view of these improved conditions its policy should be to meet all claims that were considered justified to the full extent of the funds available, but not to actively canvass for funds from the public. Quantities of clothes, boots and provisions were handed into the Depot and were distributed, but no organised collections of these were made during the year. The general work as conducted during the previous year was continued; the mending of boots, distribution of fuel, clothing and food including meat being maintained up to December 24. 1936. The distribution of free fuel to a number of elderly folk was again attended to at regular intervals, but no distribution of Christmas parcels was made this year. Your committee worked in close co-operation with the Mayoress's Clothing Appeal Committee and acted as an investigation committee and distribution centre for parcels made up by the ladies working with the Mayoress. The splendid service rendered by the ladies in providing maternity outfits and children’s clothing is deserving of the highest praise, and will no doubt receive public recognition when the annual report of that committee received publicity. Finance. Tire year commenced with a credit balance at the bank of £636/6/1 and has ended with a credit balance of £373/3/1. No general appeal for funds has been made, but the proceeds of a street day organised for the Mayor’s Coal and Blanket Fund, amounting to £7l/9/3, together with a grant of £250 from the South Canterbury Hospital Board was handed over to your committee for distribution. The main source of income, however, has been from the proceeds ot art unions forwarded from Wellington to the Mayor, and handed by him to your committee

to administer. But for these funds which have amounted to £991/13, 9 your Society, would have had to suspend operations months ago. In reviewing the history of the Society it is interesting to note that during the first year of the Society’s activities 1931-32, the gross turnover of the Society was valued at £5528/2/1. This gradually rose till the year 1934-35, the peak yeijr, when it reached £14,624/11/1. For the present period of eleven months ending February 27, 1937, the turnover was £4315/3/11, and for the whole of the six years a grand total of £54.473/15/10. The total amount of money contributed by the public through apeals, carnivals, entertainments, etc., over the period has amounted to £10,338, from the South Canterbury Hospital Board £2600, Timaru Harbour Board £5O, Timaru Borough Council £2360, and proceeds from art unions £2409/12/6. In addition to these cash contributions huge quantities of goods, provisions, clothing, etc., were given and distributed free.

Your committee desires to express its thanks to all those who have so generously assisted and made the work of the Society possible, to the Timaru Borough Council for the free use of rooms and lighting, to the local newspapers for publicity so freely given, and to all those who have in any way assisted during the year.