COMMUNAL GARDENS UNEMPLOYED WORK

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 14, 8 September 1931, Page 3

COMMUNAL GARDENS UNEMPLOYED WORK

men adopt scheme • mooted by relief committee CANVAS TO BE MADE Following the recent suggestion by the Rotorua Unemployment Committee that community gardens for district unemployed should be organised, the proposal was diseussed and favourably received by a meeting between representatives of the committee and the unemployed yesterday. The meeting unanimou'sly endorsed the principle of setting np community gardens, and formed itself into a committee to make preliminary arrangements and canvas for men likely to be interested in the scheme.

The Iviayor, IVLr i. jackson, and the Chairman of the- Rotorua County ■ Gouncil, Mr H. P. Ford, are to in- - spect piots of ground. which will be made available for the gardens and report to a meeting which is to he held on Saturday at 3 p.m. In outlining the purpose of the meeting, the Mayor stated that the Unemployment Committee had re- J . cently considered proposals wh'ereby- * it would be possible for men engaged in relief work to augment their earnings by growing vegetables, eithar for their own use or for sale Committee's Assistance Full details of the proposed scheme have not yet been drawn up but the committee will provide land, seed and fertiliser. Naturally, however, before working out the full details the committee wish to meet the men eoncerned in order to ascertain how they regarded the proposal and how many of them would avail themselves of the scheme. The Rev. W. H. Speer and Mr H. P. Ford supplemented his Worship's remarks. Mr W. L. Richards stated that there was a lot in favour of each man having his own plot, but looking at the matter from the wider viewpoint, he thought perhaps the communal garden was a better idea. The Women's Club had distributed between one and two tons of potatoes, but if up to ten tons had been available it would have saved the club's funds considerably as such vegetables as potatoes, carrots and pumpkins would keep for a considerable time. Suggested Committee A suggestion was made by one of the workers that those present should set up a committee to canvas unemployed men not present at the meetr ing. The Mayor expressed his gratification at the interest refleeted by the encouraging attendance. He stated that' he was quite convinced that th'e principle of the communal garden was a good one, and the ready eo-opera-uion which the men had shown indicated a fine and altruistie spirit on their part. After some further discussion it was formally resoived that the meet.ng endorse the principle of setting up a communal garden. It was also decided that all present be formed into a temporary committee to canvas all men likely to be interested. ■ Mr S. Lowry was appointed convenor and secretary pro tem of the temporary committee. It was suggested b'y Mr Ford that seed merchants in town and any farmers who had seed potatoes .available should be appealed to to furnish supplies.