MONEY PAID TO MAYOR INSTEAD

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18015, 27 November 1926, Page 2

MONEY PAID TO MAYOR INSTEAD

UNEMPLOYED LEADERS HAVE DISAPPOINTMENT. GIPSY SMITH’S APPEAL PROVIDES NEEDED RELIEF. Two of the most active leaders of the unemployed suffered a bitter disappointment this morning when they' learned that the proceeds of the special collection for the relief of the unemployed which was taken up at the Gipsy' Smith mission last night was handed over to the Mayor for distribution instead of being given to themselves for that purpose, as they' had hoped. A few days ago these men led a deputation of unemployed which waited on the missioner and asked him for his help in relieving distress caused by unemployment in the city. Gipsy’ Smith was sympathetic to the appeal and promised that at the Friday night meeting he would arrange for a special collection to be taken up for the purpose. On this promise the two leaders built up high hopes of securing a substantial nucleus of a fund of which they would have the control, and it was with feelings of great surprise that they learned this morning that the secretary of the Gipsy’ Smith mission had paid the money' amounting to £2B 4s 3d, to the Town Clerk with a request that it be placed at the disposal of the Mayor for distribution in the relief of unemployment distress. The two men immediately* communicated with the Mayor and stated that the money was intended for the fund which they' were organising and that it should bo handed straight over to them. The Mayor asked the men to call at his room at the City Council Chambers at 31 o’clock, when the matter could be discussed with the members of the special cub-commitee appointed by the Citizens’ Unemployment Committee for dealing with urgent cases of distress. When the meeting took place the members of the sub-committee present were the Mayor and Messrs E. H. Andrews, R. B. Owen and H. Worrall. A lengthy' discussion took place and the two leaders of the unemployed were given a full opportunity of stating their side of the case. Subsequent to the meeting the Mayor informed a “Star” reporter that it had been decided that as the money had been raised for a special purpose, namely the relief of distress caused through unemployment, it would not be used for the ordinary unemployment fund to provide wages for labour performed by the men, but that it should be distributed by means of goods to the most necessitous cases. The money would therefore be handed over to the sub-committee which had been in charge of the Citizen's Relief Depot, consisting of Mrs Herbert, Mr F. C. Ellis, of the Trades Hall, and Mr R. B. Owen. This sub-committee would distribute the money and also any other amounts that may be received as a result of Gipsy Smith’s appeal. Several of the unemployed who were congregated at the Government Labour Bureau expressed the opinion that it would have been quite wrong to have given the money to the two men for distribution. They concurred with the action of the secretary of the mission in handing the money to the Mayor.