EPIDEMIC RELIEF WORK

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 75, 23 December 1918, Page 6

EPIDEMIC RELIEF WORK

THE LABOUR POINT OP VIEW. A representative meeting was held, in Hie Trades Hall on Sunday morning at 10 o'clock, as the outcome of a circular from the Tramways Union, asking that delegates from the various labour 'organisations should meet their delegates for the purpose of discussing what action Labour should take .to see tliat the necessitous cases arising , out of the late epidemic were given assistance in accordance with Labour views. There was a good attendance, Mr. W. Maddison, who presided, stressed the necessity of provision being made to enable the remaining parent to maintain the children, with a view to their having the fullest enjoyment of the "home" life, rather than becoming a mere number jn a public institution.

Mrs. Aitken outlined some of the difficulties met with by the Charitable Aid Board, and drew attention to the disabilities mothers suffered from in having access to their children whore they were boarded out.

Mr. P. Eraser, M.P., urged in the first place that all needy cases be reported at once. The stigma cf charity should be eliminated. The Charitable Aid Board wanted reorganising. If financial aid could Iμ givon to teldier.?' dependants, why could the same rot ■Iμ done for those afflicted by the epidemic? The hardest cases of the lot .were those of widows with three or four children, who were not themselves in a fit state to engage in any labour outside the home. He sug-ge-iii-ii tuac ii permanent committee beset up to deal with all cases of distress. The group committee; of whidi he was a member, did not understand and did not appreciate the Labour viewpoint in all its aspects. He suggested a deputation to Ministers to place the Labour views before them ami ascertain what they were prepared to do. , Mrs. Snow said that in some homes the "boardcd-oul" child was often made a slave to tho other children, or became a mere drudge. They'should ask for 30s. per week for the mother, and 10s. 6d. a week for each child. The present cost of living demanded it. Men did not understand the cost of maintenance. Mr. Swindell (Cabinet-makers') deprecated the difficulties that mothers were surrounded with in obtaining access to their children who were boarded out, and thought it should be remedied. It was an argument against boarding out. Mr. Lee (A.S.K.S.) said they should oppose the' splitting up of 'homes and the family. Also, they should watch the expenditure of the Government.

Mrs. Deck saiti that mothers could not go out to wgjlk and do justice to the children at the same time, and if the children were boarded out the mother was compelled to obtain u permit in order to visit them, which was not right. The chairman pointed out the,inadequacy of the widows' pension. Something of a much more substantial nature was needed.

Mrs. Aitken hoped that the widows' pension would be retained and enlarged in the near future, in order that it might make permanent and adequate provision for future cases.

Mrs. Snow mentioned the case of a girl, boarded out, who was extreiiielv intelligent, and wished'for further education. This, she stated, was vetoed by the. inspecting officer, who stated that the girl must grf , into domestic service. M l" , L - Glover ns ked why Labour had ■not taken up these cases before this. The resolution to ret up a permanent committee was carried, and the following were elected to the committee:—Mesdames Aitken, Snow, Deck, Messrs. M J Keardon, Parlane, P. Fraser, M.P. Hancock, Lee, Cornwell, Maddiebn, Caliaghan and Howell, with power to add to their number. Mr. Rcardon wae appointed chxinnnn. and Mr. Comw.vH secretary. ' , Arrangements were made for a deputation to Ministers. The chairman sug'pstcd that the , basis of claims .should heSimilar provision to that made for soldiers dependants. The deputation will meet the Ministers at 4. o'clock this a)r°rnoon. It was decided to obtain the'co-opera-tion ot all Labour organisations throughout the Dominion '