City Mission Shelter

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 100, 22 January 1935, Page 11

City Mission Shelter

Sir,—As one who recently resided in this mission for three months, I can emphatically endorse every word stated by the Rev. D. M. Martin in to-day’s “Dominion.” The mission is rendering a splendid and invaluable service, and no praise is too high for the work being done there, and for the Rev. T. Fielden Taylor, ,the manager, and the assistant manager of the mission. Some are under the impression that men who have crashed so heavily as to need the assistance of the mission pre worthless or no good. By far the greater majority are a very decent lot of chaps trying to find remunerative work. Many of them are of higher than average intelligence and education, just unfortunate victims of an effete, inefficient, out-of-date economic system. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Martin on his courage in making such an experiment to find out for himself.' I should also like to suggest that Messrs. Coates, Forbes, the Minister of Employment, and the Commissioner of Unemployment, make a similar experiment and stay there a few days icognito. They might then materially alter their attitude toward the unfortunate unemployed, and learn to understand them. One of the first moves made would undoubtedly be prompt financial assistance that would wipe off the Rev. T. Fielden Taylor’s overdraft of £llOO and other liabilities of £675 odd, and incidentally save that very estimable gentleman a whole lot of quite unnecessary worry. Those debts are logically and ethically the Government’s. The Government should at least pay single unemployed men 16/- a week, the amount paid in Great Britain. If that amount were ■paid sueh men would be enabled to iiiid rooms and obtain two decent meals a day without the aid of the mission. A pound a week would not be too much. Cut out the idea that self-respecting men would be satisfied with that amount and cease to look for work. A few might, but the majority wouldn’t. And don’t forget - the hardest of all jobs at any time, especially these days, is looking for a job. Mr. Taylor ilaturally knows nothing about this letter. Therefore the appeal I make is not his appeal. It is mine, but I make it for him: I ask everyone who reads this to send as much as he can for that Abode of Homeless Men to the Rev. Mr. Taylor, to enable him to wipe off his debts, and keep the City Mission going. Whoever does so will be doing a great service to unfortunate humanity in Wel-lington.-—I am, etc., BLISTERED FEET.