EX-STRIKERS IN STRAITS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1960, 17 January 1914, Page 6

EX-STRIKERS IN STRAITS.

HUNGER & THE BAILIFFS. j / (Bj Telesraph—Special Ooirespendent,) Auckland, January 16. Careful inquiries show that there is much distress in tho City among married men who recently went out on strike, who have- now lost their occupations, and whose domestic responsibilities make, ib impossible for thorn to seek work elsewhere. There is only a very small sum available to the strike committee, and it is far from being sufficient to relievo all of tho most pressing cases of distress. In many cases small sums aro being advanced to prevent actual hunger, but no attempt can be mado to aid strikers in paying their rent. Bailiffs havo been put into numerous liouscs and,.in some cases, evictions havo taken place, but no case is known of agents having taken possession of a man's furniture. One- private bailiff has been so impressed with certain pathetic cases ol poverty that ho has paid out of his own pocket sufficient rent to procure houses for indigent persons, and ho is in communication with country friends with a view to obtaining employment for mon whom ho regards as tho victims of unfortunate circumstances, and whoso families aro faced witb. tho dread of finding thomselves at any moment homeless and hungry. Yesterday i morning a man, who has a family of '13 children, had therefore cannot loavo tho city, hatl to bo given aid. Another, wlioso family numbers five, said that ho had not eaten fowl Binco 3 p.m. tho previous day. There was a littlo food in his liouso, hut it was for his children. Very'meagre additions are now being received to tho relief fund, but yesterday morning ■ a business man, after making a searching cross-examination of tho officials, handed over £10 for tho relief of th<> 'innocent sufferers. On account of tho disorganisation that lias taken place- in tho ranks of tho watersiders who went out on strike- it is impossible to givo an estimate- of the number of men in need of pressing employment, but a meeting is to !io hold to ascertain tho position. . ~ : ....