RUSH FOR RELIEF

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 575, 5 July 1933, Page 5

RUSH FOR RELIEF

(Press Assn.-

4 hysterical - crowd THOUSANDS ASSEMBLE AT DISTRIBUTION OF CLOTHES NOT ALL GENUINE CASES

— By Telegraph — Copyrlght).

Christchurch, Tuesday. Three women fainted in the / crush at the Central Relief Depot to-day when thousands of women, many with babies and small children, came to collect a share of the clothes gathered' by a drive ten days ago. The he.lpers at the depot, who were all voluntary workers, were quite un- ' able to cope with the rush of appli•cants. The result was that the crowd | had a long wait. S'ome of the applii cants endured this calmly but others |, became hysterical. [ i The director of the depot said -toj day that in future the distribution I of relief would be tightened up and only- those in genuine need would re- | ceive assistance. Too many persons | had been applying who were not en- [ titled to receive aid. There was evidence that so'me of these had been in | receipt.of a steady income of £4 to i £5 a week. The distribution would. i have to be tightened up. or they would j soon be giving assistance to the whole town. During the past week, the number of applications for relief had shown a remarkable increase .which could possibly be attribufed to the efforts which were being made (not without success) by the Businessmen's Committee to. rais.e funds.