ALLEGATION OF VIOLENCE

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21420, 12 March 1935, Page 16

ALLEGATION OF VIOLENCE

METHODS AT RELIEF DEPOT COMPLAINTS BY DEPUTATION OF WOMEN An allegation that a woman had been roughly handled by a sergeant of police, at the Metropolitan Relief Association's depot yesterday morning was made to the Christchurch Unemployment Committee yesterday. The complaint was made by a deputation of women which approached the committee yesterday to urge that the allocation by the association of 5s a head for food be increased to 6s a head. The manner in which applicants generally were treated at the depot was also criticised, a member of the deputation claiming that the director, Mr A. B. Macintosh, was discourteous. The deputation consisted of Mesdames R. Penny, R. McGuire, and G. Grant. Mrs McGuire said that the members of the deputation had been at the relief depot that morning, when women were asking for food. One of the women, she said, had been dragged over a bench by a sergeant of police, in an endeavour to remove them from the depot. "We feel very shaken and upset," said Mrs McGuire, "and we would like a man to be received with us so that he can speak for us." The chairman (Mr E. H. Andrews). You won't be manhandled here. Mr Andrews went on to say that the committee had expected to receive a deputation of women, and he thought the present deputation could state its case without the assistance* of men. "Five Shillings Not Enough" Mrs Penny said she had been called over to the relief depot, and had found 80 women, asking for bread. Many of them had nothing in their cupboards, ] and they wanted the standard of relief raised. The sum of 5s a head was | not enough and the women were becoming desperate. It was felt that the committee must realise that 5s a week was not enough. Unless something were done to alleviate the need, it was only to be expected that the people ] would become desperate. She said j that if families were receiving more j than 5s a head when the rent was j paid they were given no rations. j Mrs Grant said that when the allocation was 7s a head, the people on relief had boots mended free. But now they had to pay Is for children s boots, , 2s for women's, and 2s 6d for men's. | Also, the cost of living had gone up. There were plenty of elderly women going about the city without shoes on their feet. Mrs Grant; complained of the reception that women received at'the depot. "We must ask also." she said, "that women be treated with civility at the depot," She added that some women "got their tempers up," no doubt, but Mr Macintosh did so too. The main purpose of the deputation, she concluded, was to ask the committee to use its influence to have the limit of 5s raised to 6s. Committee's Powers Mr Andrews said he wondered why the deputation had approached the committee, for it had no control over the relief depot. "We have already urged the Unemployment Board to increase the amount paid; we have done that over and over again," he said. "But we have no power to instruct the depot to do anything. However, I suppose they have not enough money to go round." Mr George Harper (who is chairman of the association): That is exactly the position. One of the delegates then asked if the members of the committee would contribute towards the expenses of sending Mrs Penny to Wellington as a member of a deputation lo approach the Government. When the delegation had retired, (lie discussion was taken in committee. When open meeting was resumed, it was stated that the following resolution had been passed:— "That this committee recognises that the Metropolitan Relief Association is doing all, and, indeed, more than its funds permit: but reaffirms its resolution that the Unemployment Board and the Government should provide useful works for the unemployed at standard rates of pay, and decides again to urge this policy on the Government and the Unemployment Board." Only a brief reference was made to the delegation's request for financial assistance to send a representative to Wellington. This was by Mr J. W. Beanland. "I would not give a penny," he said, "fi would do more harm than good."

A LLE.G ATIONS J) EN IEI) MR MACINTOSH'S STATEMENT The allegation that there had been rough handling of the women was denied by Mr A. B. Macintosh, who is in charge of the relief depot. He said that the sergeant had told the women to keep quiet, and had put his hand on the shoulder of Mrs McGuire and told her to be quiet. There had certainly been no manhandling, as was alleged by the deputation to the Unemployment Committee. WOMEN SEEK FOOD AT DEPOT PROVISION FOR MORE NEEDY CASES The deputation to the Christchurch Unemployment Committee followed an unsuccessful attempt by about 40 ( women to obtain food from the Metropolitan Relief Association's depot. Several of the women either carried or led small children. The deputation was followed to the City Council Chambers by the women, and after it had interviewed the Unemployment Committee, the women waited on the Mayor, Mr D. G. Sullivan. M.P., stressing their needs. Later the Mayor announced that he had arranged with Adjutant V. Wood, of the Salvation Army, for help to be given to the most needy. Adjutant Wood would do her best to-day to fulfil the needs of the others. The women claimed that they were without food in their homes. Soon after the women arrived at the relief depot a sergeant and a constable arrived also. After the women had waited at the depot for some time and had not been satisfied they went to the Council Chambers, and waited there while the deputation interviewed the Unemployment Committee. When this meeting was finished the women made representations to the Mayor, and remained in the council chamber until nearly 1 p.m. . The Mayor made a brief statement that he had been unable to come to any arrangements with the relief depot. The best he had been able to do, after communication with various sources by telephone, was to arrange for the most needy cases, perhaps a dozen, to be attended to in the afternoon by Adjutant Wood. Adjutant Wood would do the most she could tor these cases, and to-day would attempt to deal with the others.