RELIEF DEPOT OPENED TO-DAY AT ST ALBANS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18769, 27 May 1929, Page 9

RELIEF DEPOT OPENED TO-DAY AT ST ALBANS.

APPEAL MADE TO PUBLIC FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT. The relief depot established by the Rev L. B. Neale, Minister of the Rugby Street Methodist Church, was opened this morning in a shop on Papanui Road, near Mansfield Avenue. Mrs Emmett is in charge of the distribution of goods, and Sister Gertrude will conduct the investigations into the cases of distress brought under the notice of the depot. “The response to our appeal for money and goods has not been very good so far,” said Mr Neale to a reporter this morning. “From the inquiries which I have made, I am convinced that there are a large number of families in acute distress, and a relief depot is urgently needed.” Mr Neale said that for some weeks past a band of women had been busy sewing and making up garments for distribution, but the stocks of the de pot were not nearly sufficient to meet the demands that were expected. In all probability a central relief depot would not be opened this year, and in consequence of this there had been less support forthcoming for the St Alban.? Depot. The depot was being run in conjunction with his church work, but people would be assisted quite irrespective of creed. “Apart from the question of unemployment, we are called upon to assist people who may be described as being in the unemployable class,” said Mr Neale. “These people, for various reasons, are not able to work, but they cannot be allowed to starve. The public can rest assured that there will be no overlapping as far as our efforts are concerned, as our system of investigation is very thorough.”