MORE UNEMPLOYMENT FUNDS REQUIRED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 11, 4 September 1931, Page 3

MORE UNEMPLOYMENT FUNDS REQUIRED

'rotorua position PROPOSED SCHEME FOR COMMUNITY GARDENS RELIEF COMMITTEE MEETS At a meeting of the Rotorua District Unemployment Committee held last evening, it was disclosed that the committee has funds in hand for only another month at the present rate of disbursement, and that the funds of the Womens' Club, which is also assisting in the relief of distress, will al£o be .exhausted in -fhe course of another two months. Relief has been distributed at the rate of between £35 and £45 a month, and in order to meet the pending emergency, an appeal for funds is being made to all organisations which have not already assisted the committee. In cases where organisations are prevented from assisting as a body owing to their constitution, members are to be asked to do so individually. The committee also considered a proposal to establish community gardens in Rotorua for the purpose of assisting those unemployed who are not in a position to cultivate garden produce in their own homes. « It was suggested that the men should be brought together and organised into groups for the cultivation of vegetables and produce to meet further requirements. After some discussion it was decided to call a meeting for Monday when members of the committee will meet the unemployed men to discuss the seheme. It was suggested in this connection that an appeal might be made to the Government to make available the services of some of its expert field officers for supervision and advice. Offers of land for use in connection with the scheme were made by His WorShip the Mayor, Mr T. Jackson, and Messrs H. B. Ford, L. Ewert, and A. G. Cottrell. Committee's Report The relief sub-committee presented the f ollowing report : "The most important work undertaken has heen the over-seeing of the men's shelter at the Isolation Hospital, which was made available by the Health Department. The Defence Department has* supplied on loan sufficient palliases, blankets and cooking dixies to meet all requirements. There have been over 100 assisted by shelter and bedding since the shelter was opened, and this alone has made the effort worth while. The men have now banded together, and with some slight assistance from the committee, have secured the services of an pfficient eook, who is providing good meals for those at present at the shelter. Blankets are being washed at present in batches of 25 by the hospital authorities. Outdoor Relief The committee has worked in close co-operation with the Womens' Club and the Repatriation Society, which has prevented overHappSng in the distribution of relief. For August alone the Womens' Club has distributed 190 garments, held by themselves, and 119 from the recent clothes drive — a total of 309 garments. Also, 8 pairs of socks, 3 hats, 24 boots and shoes. Some 70 children were on the list apart from the women. In money, the Womens' Club spent £37 10s in August and £40 16s 8d in July. The mens' garments were catered for by Capt. Thomson and some 400 garments distributed. Nothing else is left to carry on. Little Remains The aforesaid clothes drive handled by the Rotary Club in conjunction with the Boy Scouts under the auspiees of this committee was very successful, but very little remains of it to-day. Some 25 families were assisted with groceries, firewood and in very special cases, even rent. Some 60 ipen were helped, especially with working boots so that they could go to work and with shelter and food where required. We wish to put on record the great help we have received from some of the boarding-houses, before the cooking scheme in the Isolation Hospital came into operation. The money received since the time the Central Committee was operating is £85 19s lOd. There was £19 handed over to us from former contributions, making a total of £104 19s lOd. A private donation accounted for £20 of this. Of this money some £70 odd has been spent.. The Womens' Club, who are running the finances under a special aceount, have spent in July and August £77 17s 6d. A total for the two months of £147 17s 6d. Soon Be Exhausted It does not need a public accountant to show that it will not be long before the incoming revenues will be swamped by the outgoing expenses, unless new avenues are found for replenishing our coffers. A few of the local organisations have done well during these two months, but if we are to carry on as we are doing, viz., giving relief when it is wanted, we want the whole-hearted support of the individuals in Rotorua and all the local organisations. Two organisations have promised us some money when we require it and we shall call on them very soon now, but what is needed at the present time is that every local organisation does something in their own way to keep us without anxiety re the money question. Schemes are at present put into operation to relieve unemployment, but even this will take some time yet before we will feel the benefit. Moreover, at the closing down of the forestry season, we may expect a great deal of hardship, when some 500-men will be without work in this district that are at present earning money. Without being Unduly pessimistic, one may predict that a great deal of charity will have to be dealt out and much relief given before things are normal. It is for this that we should be prepared, and we should now make preparations for helping this committee so that the workers will not be embarrassed by shortage of cash when genuine relief is asked for.