DISTRESS RELIEF FUND

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2233, 20 August 1914, Page 6

DISTRESS RELIEF FUND

ORGANISED WORKERS A HANDSOME DONATION In addition to the War Fund, we have boon requested to open a fund for the relief of local cases of distress as the result of tho war. The contributions to this Relief Fund will ho kept entirely scparato from the, War Fund, and will bo used solely for the purposo designated. 'Messrs. Bine; Harris, and Co. have generously headed tho new fund with'the handsome donations of £300. STANDINC COMMITTEES. MEETING AT THE TOWN HALL, j Tho first properly-constituted meeting of tho newly-organised Distress Belief Committee was held in the Town Hall yesterday morning, the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) presiding. Besides His Wor-' ship thero were present Mr. R. Fletcher (chairman of tho Harbour Board), the Rev. W. A. Evans (chairman of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board), Messrs. D. M'Laren (United Labour Party), W. A. Grenfell (Employers' Association), L. M. Rearden (Trades and Labour Council),. W. Fraser (Social Democratic Party), and H. E. Moston (Labour Department). The Mayor explained that finding employment would bo the primary function of the committee, and if there were cases of distress it would be tho duty of the committee to attend to these on their merits. Mr..Evans said that under the powers Riven them by tho Hospital and Charitable.Aid Act they had decided to form a Guild of Service (which he hoped would become a national institution), with tho object of arranging for the relief'of distress. This would 1 enable tho work to bo done as economically and efficiently as possible. Mr. D. M'Laren said that the condition of trade at present was fairly steady, but that was probably 'only temporary on account of the amount of work to be done in connection with the departure of the troops. Onca that was over they could not see very far ahead. Thero was a special reason for io-opcrating with tho Hospital Board, as it had expert officers who'wereused to making investigations. Mr. 1 Grenfell said there was a general disposition on the part of employers to keep a full staff of assistants' but m some • cases negotiations were pending to give part_ time employment .to tide' over the period ;of crisis.' He agreed that'it was better to give employment than funds. • .; Mr. Fletcher said that the prospect of work on the waterfront was not very good,_. : with'the withdrawal of so many' big liners into the transport service, and the consequent : reduction of imports. He believed that they should follow, the suggestion of Mr. Evans. The. Harbour Board intended to carry out'as far as possible the works in hand arid projected. He held that funds for the protection of the' country should be taken'from the. Consolidated , Fund. They, could very; well .spend other moneys in holping. the relatives of men' mo had gone to-the front,, and even in, sending money to. the 'poor at Home (who,might be .in greater need),:and to the'people of Belgium, who-had ftone so much to hold in check the inarch of a domineering Power. ' ,'„ ' Messrs. Rearden 'and Eraser i agreed' that.'the funds should'be kept separate, arid that -.work : .was more important than charity.'..' •;Mr. H. E. Moston. stated that'the, machinery'-of \the Labour Department ,might be .utilised, to place applicants for :work:in-'yi%gnt;^arts'''6f' i th6Diiminion, wherever'it might be offering? The Mayor was of the opinion that the,interests of the people should: now be.concentrated on home requirements", and resolve themselves into a standing committee to make an appeal to the. •.public, and relief distress. . The general idea was that normal conditions .should be maintained as far as possible, and all who had work to do of any kind should not hold back from having the work : carried out, but'go on, and. keep .labour employed. The outlook for wool was. hot bad for the coming year,' and farmers ought not to be afraid to Bend their clip Home. Altogether, the prospects were not bad, if only they organised, to meet extraordinary emergencies. . ■ ■ '■ The meeting.then resolved itself into a standing committee.' Tho nam©- of Mr. Jack (secretary of tho Farmers' Union) was added, and power was retained to add , further to .the number; It was decided to co-operate with other similarly-constituted committees ■ in other districts and provinces. ' The Mayor and Messrs. Evans,. Grerifellflßearden, andMostow lycre appointed ;an Employment Committee to keep in touch, ,per- medium of the Labour Department,' with tho labour markets throughout the Dominion. ' ,