Poverty in Christchurch.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 74, 9 August 1912, Page 5

Poverty in Christchurch.

AWAY WITH CRADLES, BUT KEEP THE KENNELS FULL.

Thus a correspondent:— The poverty of the general laborers in Christchurch at the present time is worse than it has been for many years past. Scores of men are walking about looking for work, and cannot get it. And this is the result of 21 years of Liberal legislation by a so-called beneficent Government! Many of the unemployed arc on the verge of starvation, but the high-spirited section of them do their best to conceal it. lam enclosing you two clippings from the "Lyttelton Times" which spe,ak volumes. Side by side with this groat poverty, we recently have had established in this town an expensive hospital for sick and demented poodle dogs. Already it has also become a breeding institution for fancy dogs for the idle rich. The watchword of the .Ghratchuroh aristocracy now is-—"Away with the cradles and keep the kennels full." It costjs more to keep one sick pup than five working-men's babies, providing the pup belongs to a Papanui lady. The extracts referred to contain the following:— A CHILD'S DEATH. The death of an infant yesterday morning brought under the notice of Mr. H. W. Bishop, District Coroner, the shocking affairs of a family in this city. The infant; Leo David F. Williams, was about five years old. It weighed 51b. when it was born and 31b. when it died. As far as appearances were concerned, it was merely a bag of bones, covered with skin. The mother, according to her own statement, kept herself and two other children on ss. a week supplied by the Charitable Aid Board. The police state that it is one of the worst cases of the kind that has coma under their notice, and the doctor who made the post mortem examination stated that he had never seen a parallel case except in the plague-stricken districts of India. A RIGOROUS WINTER. The winter, judging by the demands made on tho coal and blanket fund, has been the most rigorous Christchurch lias known, and already the amount of assistance given from the fund last year lias boon eclipsed. The fund will bo needed until at least tho end of August, and although at tho present moment it is sufficient to meet all demands, there is no doubt that before long it will require replenishing. Already 305 blankets have, been distributed, moro than the. number given out during tho whole of last winter, and 484 coal orders have been Lar.t year orders for co:il totalled .'JG!), and it j>: estimiiU'd thai, tlii.i ytar iliat figure will-be.cotididtrably exceeded. This winter there have buon 405 applications made to tho fund :it date, and of those over 130 were second α-ijuests for assistance.