RELIEF COMMITTEE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 144, 20 June 1931, Page 5

RELIEF COMMITTEE

ADJOURNMENT AGREED ON SCHOOLBOYS FOR THE LAND CLOTHES “DRIVE" TO BE HELD. A meeting of tho Wanganui Relief Committee was held jesterday afternoon to decide what action should be taken in view of tho Government’s decision to continue with the operation of the No. 5 Scheme.

The Mayor, Mr N. G. Armstrong, addressing the committee, said that the manner in which institution after institution had come to life to help the committee had been most satisfactory. Now that the No. 5 Scheme was to be continued there was not the same need for that committee and the suggestion was that it should be disbanded. He pointed out that they were organised and that they could easily get. together again if they were needed at very short notice. Ho made reference to the work done by Mrs Wickham who had been very effective in placing young men on farms, and he suggested that some help should be given to place more of th> single men on tho land. Mr Crowley and Mr Kirk, who had been looking into tho possibilities of the scheme, had the matter well under way. Ho said that, the Government might make some alteration to tho No. 5 Scheme when they met and it was possible that single men would not receive the liberal treatment that they had received in the past. If positions could be obtained for them in the country they could bo moved out. There were also a number of boys leaving school who needed work, and he considered that if positions could also be obtained for them on farms, the committee would be forwarding the interests of tho nation. Even if positions were only held for 12 months it would do tho boys a lot of good and would help to develop them. It would also help to create a liking for the land, and if 50 per cent of the boys afterwards

became farmers it would be an asset to the country. It would supply a want that had been felt in the country tor years. It was often useless to ex pect town men to become farmers, but the boys, if they were trained voting, would take to it naturally. He then proposed that tho committee should adjourn and that the other organisations already in existence should continue to afford relief where required. Air Symes seconded tho motion. He commended the Government on its excellent resolve to carry on with the No. 5 Scheme which would help to solve the difficulty presented by unemplov ment not only hero but all over the dominion. Now that they had the skeleton organisation he thought, that should disband but hold itself ready for further emergency. Air Gohns suggested that as boys un der the age of 18 years could not be assisted under the No. 4a Scheme to go on to the land an organisation should be set up that would give them the chance to receive work on the land. Airs Wickham said that the Farmers’ Union and the Women's Division were placing girls in positions in the country, and they were also prepared to assist the boys. She suggested that some scheme like the Flock House scheme for settling the English beys should be arranged whereby their own boys might be helped to become farmers. Air O’Meara pointed out that men in town, who were only drawing 18s a week, which was practically only suffi cient to keep them in food, would be far better cared for in the country where at least they would receive food that would bo one hundred per cent, bettor than they could purchase for 18s a week. A man would be better off in the country in this respect and ho would also learn something that would be of use to him. It was decided that every effort should be made to obtain positions on farms for boys leaving ..chool under the age of 18 and also to try to obtain positions for single mon. Air Brown asked Airs Dexter whether it wag true that although tho. No. 5 Scheme was affording work there was also a certain amount of distress in the town. Mrs Dexter replied that married xuen

received three weeks’ work out of four, and although they could keep their family during the three weeks they generally had to be assisted during tho • fourth. Clothing. Mrs Dexter said that six years ago there had been an organisation in existence, with the Rev. Cox at the head, which had made a “drive” of the town for clothing. That organisation had worked wonders Every bouse bad been visited in the city in one day. She suggested that such another organisation should be formed. There were plenty of willing workers who would come forward and help. Clothes were needed especially for boys and men who were working on farms. In many casei they had reached farms with only th< clothes they stood up in. There were also families in the towns who although the husband had work on the No. 5 •Scheme there was no money for clothing. If clothing could be provided for the children it would make the mothers happy. It was proposed that a sub-coramitteo consisting of Mrs Dexter, Mrs Hair and tho Rev. Cox should be set up to organise a clothing “drive.’’ Mr Cox pointed out that the organisation previously set up had not consisted only of himself. It had had the assistance nf bodies such as the City Council and the Hospital Board. Hb suggested that a larger committee should be set up. Finally it was decided that r committee consisting of Mrs Dexter, Mrs Hair, Mrs J. Siddells, the liQ\. Messrs IL T. Cox, H. G. Goring, \. Bianchi, King, Messrs Martin, Poynter, Brown, l arimuh. Mathison and Adjutant Hawke should be set up to promote a drive lor tho purpose of obtaining clothes and that cash donations amounting to £lOO would be gratefully received for tho purpose of supplementing the fund for administering the clothing.