CHRISTMAS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 December 1930, Page 5

CHRISTMAS

AMERICAN MEASURES FOR RELIEF.

(United Prßas Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).

NEW YORK, December 24

Christmas 1(130 in America is nothing like the Christmas of 1028 or even of IWall Street bonuses, which in the years before last year's crash, ran to 50,000,(500 'dollars, this year dwindled to a 'small insignificant sum, wliili, more over, no one cares to estimate.

In tlu* three principal cities oT the country, distribution of food to the destitute reached enormous proportions. Ninety thousand meals were dis tributed in New Volk. Thousands of persons stood in line at the Town Hall at Philadelphia for baskets of food handed out by the Mayor. Twelve women collapsed from weariness and hunger. In Chicago, 5000 hungry families wore fed, and 44,000 children were given gifts. The Associated Press, which has made a nation-wide survey of conditions, states that the amounts to be spent on public works, including akc large private enterprise undertakings for relief, will total 500,000,000 dollars. “The country is a network of commissions and committees pushing forward every bit of public work possible and preventing suffering among those who cannot be put to work.” In some communities, however, men sores for aiding the poor and distressed are quite primitive, Wateroo, lowa, is seine netting the Cedar River with permission of the State Game Department and is feeding fish to the needy. The State of Utah is able to provide relief for only 4000 persons, the heads of families having been put to workpouring sea mis on slippery streets. Unemployed from large sections of the north-western States have been driven into the .south-west by cold weather. In the latter States, the climate is at least equable for this tim.* of the year. Georgia is feeding Its idle at two-cent soup kitchens. Some of the States hit by the drought last summer report an extreme degree of suffering in rural districts where famine conditions prevail. Few are going hungry for long in urban centres, hut on some farms the distribution relief is slow. Commerce and industry throughout the country are at the lowest ebb since the depression and the turning of the is not yet ir sight. CHRISTMAS AT HOME. LONDON, December 24. The last morning newspapers published until Saturday contain little news. lt° is generally agreed that Christmas will lie one of the quietest and dullest ever known. The shadow of trade depression, unemployment, high taxation and apprehensions for future affects the whole country. GAY SPIRIT IN SYDNEY. SYDNEY, December 25. Christmas Evo crowds in the city were much the same as usual. The shops were busy, but purchases were generally of a smaller value, though the spirit of merrymaking was not damped. The weather was hot and humid, sending large crowds, to beaches which were again well patronised to-day, as well ns scores of other holtclay resorts, A hot, bright moinmg changed to dull and threatening conditions with one or two light falls ol rain. U.S.A. TOLL ON XMAS DAY. NEW YORK, Dec. 25. Christmas Day fatalities throughout the United States exceeded eighty The majority were due to motor accidents, while fires and shootings caused others. One man was frozen to death. Three were killed in Indiana when a bridge collapsed. The liquor fatalities in New York city were eleven killed. There were twenty-seven poisoned.