RELIEF OF DISTRESS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20279, 13 April 1934, Page 9

RELIEF OF DISTRESS.

Women’s Auxiliary Sets to Work. The Women’s Auxiliary of the Mayor’s Relief of Distress Fund met in the auxiliary’s rooms, Oxford Terrace, 3 r esterday afternoon. Miss M. G. Havelaar presided. Miss Havelaar welcomed the old and new members of various organisations. There was a big task in front of them and money to buy material for clothing wa.® needed. There had been many offers to make garments from people who had helped last year, and there had been also a wonderful response from the Women’s Institutes, who were inquiring for material to make uo into garments. Material was also ready for societies or individual people who wished to make it up. Mrs D. G. Sullivan particularly wanted help for the babies. A number of schools which had helped last year had again < ffered to sew for the auxiliary, but, unfortunately, several of them were closed on account of the epidemic of measles. It was suggested that the children be asked to knit babies’ singlets, and u was decided to provide a pattern with the wool. Offers of Assistance. No garments made were distributed to individual cases, but were sent to the accredited relief depots in town. Miss Havelaar stated that different drapers had been written to asking for samples or patterns which could be made up, and other appeals had a»so been made. The R.N.V.R. had been among the first to give material, and all its rejects were to be kept aside for the auxiliary. Miss Havelaar had also received a gift of 10s from four children, the money to go towards helping other children. She thanked the St John Ladies’ Auxiliary and the Federation of Women for offers of help. An appeal was made for a typewriter, as Mrs Priddy, the secretary, had had to write all the correspondence by hand. Much more could be done if a typewriter were available. It was decided that all associations, excepting those giving relief, oe asked to make a contribution for clothing. It was also decided that, a message of sympathy be sent to Mrs Dentiss, who is at present in hospital. It was decided to alter the days of meeting from the second Thursday in the month to the first Thursday of each month.