RELIEF OF DISTRESS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 365, 5 March 1932, Page 13

RELIEF OF DISTRESS.

Closer Co-ordination to be Aimed at. POUND SCHEME NECESSARY. Closer co-ordination among relie organisations is to be aimed at ii Christchurch in the future. This fac emerges from a report which has beer prepared by the secretary of thi Hospital Board (Mr W. S. Wharton) and the manager of the Citizens’ Re lief Depot (Mr J. W. Woodbury), who were required to consider whether thi need existed for the continuation o the. Citizens’ Relief Committee’s effort: during the coming winter. “ We have considered the matter from variou: points of view, and are decidedly o the opinion that to abandon the gen erous gifts of the public on behalf o: the families of necessitous unemployed men would be wrong,” states the report which has been submitted to the Mayo: (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) The report was brought down as the reshit of the recent conference heb between representatives of the Citj Council, the Hospital Board and th\ Citizens’ Relief Association to discus: the questions of relief during the com ing winter, and whether it was desirable to have a division of the functions o: the Hospital Board and the Relie Association. It can now be taken foi granted that there will be a continua tion of the Pound Scheme, which con tributed so largely to the support ol distressed' families last year. Unwilling to Seek Aid. “ There are many families in Christ church and surrounding districts who so far. have not appealed to the Hospital Board for relief and are decidedlv loth to do so.” adds the report. “ These families, during last winter and even up to the present, have received some relief from the Citizens’ Relief Depots, and they probably feel that they have not the * taint ’ of having received public charity. There is no wish that this expression should be regarded in any way as derogatory to those whose circumstances have compelled them to seek relief from the Hospital Board, but it is so easy for people to lose their self-respect once they feel that charity is obtainable by asking, and those who strive not to be victims to their needs are to be cojnmended. There are also a large number of people who find that the meagre earnings obtainable through the No. 5 scheme are wholly insufficient to supply their families with the ordinary necessaries of life, including many household requisites, the payment of rent, and the provision of clothing and boots. Consequently w r e are of opinion that whilst the Hospital

Board has a definite responsibility to keep the ‘ wolf off the step,’ yet there is a definite opening for the citizens who have means to spare to help their more unfortunate brothers and sisters at this time of need, and we recommend that the public should still be solicited to make their weekly grants of supplementary food or material. Provision of rood. “ It is admitted that the provision of food is a definite function of the charitable authorities but, as has been said before, in some families the needs, perhaps, are greater in the innumerable household requisites than would be obtainable through the ordinary channel of public charity. “There is a further factor, and that is that were the Hospital Board the only means through which the necessitous poor could obtain relief, it would mean that many people who now seek the aid of the Citizens' Relief Depots, would not care to be seen in the Board’s store, because of what they would perhaps wrongly regard as the taint of having received assistance from the public. Even though the board’s relief and the Mayor’s relief in the way of food were distributed at one central point yet this objection would apply. At the same time, it is feared that once the Hospital Board were associated with the Mayor’s Fund in the distribution of necessaries the contributions from the public would possibly dry up, contributors being under the impression that they are paying twice; first, by direct contribution to the Mayor’s fund and secondly, through the rates to the Hospital Board. Demand for Clothing. “ There is, unquestionably, a very serious demand on behalf of poor people in this town for necessary clothing and boots. Here seems to be an opening and, if it is possible to create a fund whereby warm and suitable clothing can be provided, it would be of greatest benefit. “ For some time the Hospital Board supplied a list to the Citizens’ Central Depot of all the persons receiving relief from the board, and in many cases duplication was detected. We would therefore recommend that a complete list should be made out each week of those persons receiving relief from the board, this to be supplied to the manager of the relief depots. Continuation of Collections. “ We feel that if we could obtain complete co-ordination with the various organisations in the town where assistance is dispensed, that much benefit would accrue to the community as a whole. We submit, therefore, as follows: That it will be an advantage if the Citizens’ Relief Committee will continue the collection and distribution of provisions from the depot or depots situated in the city and suburbs. That

a determined effort should be made to obtain suitable raiment and boots for the wives and families of those whose earnings are—owing to unemployment

—insufficient to provide them; -it would be a mistake to bring the board’s distributing centre immediately in conjunction with the Citizens’ Relief Centre; and further, that the board should provide a list each week of all those receiving relief from the board; such list to show the amount afforded in each case.” The Mayor’s Comment. “ It can now be taken for granted that the Relief Association will continue with the pound scheme,” said the Mayor, in commenting on the report. “ There are other matters which will have to be faced by the community, such as the question of rents and other aspects of distress not being dealt with at the present time. I am considering calling a meeting of representative citizens for the purpose of setting up a committee to undertake the handling of rents and different matters not now being attended to by any organisations. This committee will be required to adjudicate between landlords and tenants in their mutual difficulties. It is probable that I will call the meeting for next week-end.”