Unemployed Moneys

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 369, 1 June 1928, Page 1

Unemployed Moneys

Reply to Alleged “Scandal” BALANCE SHEET PUBLISHED IN reply to a magistrate’s criticism of "scandalous” looseness in the methods of collecting: money for relief, the Auckland Unemployment Association has sent a balance sheet to The Sun.

“We would welcome a committee of businessmen, and previous to your report steps had been taken to bring this about,” states the secretary, Mr. C. G. Lindsay. “In submitting to the public our statement of accounts for the period under criticism by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., we would point out that not having been in operation for 12 months, it was unreasonable to require the production of our financial statement. We have repeatedly invited inspection of our books and work from any interested person, both through the Press and by invitation to donors,” he states. “We would point out that not the association, but Mr. R. Coyle, was on trial, and our books were voluntarily deposited with the police to assist them in their investigations, although they had previously been acquainted with our method of operation. COLLECTION AND CASH RELIEE “It will be seen that the amount raised by collection, both by street collectors and subsequent house-to-house canvassers, is £628 16s 9£d, and against this cash relief to the extent of £623 18s 9£d and relief in goods valued at £233 15s has been distributed. “The actual administration expenses amount to £238 Is 6£d, and this sum has been raised directly by operation conducted by the office. “The sale of goods for £4l Is 4d is

offset by goods £4O 6s Sd. and covers the operations of four girls, one maimed man and two canvassers who were engaged in the manufacture of flowers, etc. This phase of our activities was designed solely to provide temporary work for some of the workless. “The items £156 18s 3d from entertainments is made up from receipts of picture carnival, concert party and dance, etc., and is offset by wages and advertising, printing, and other charges amounting to £ll6 31s 4d. These entertainments were designed solely to find work for as many unemployed as possible, as the provision of work has always been our aim. From these efforts an additional sum of £123 to the relief mentioned above was distributed as commission. “ILLUSION DISPELLED" “The remarks of Mr. Hunt, who presumably saw the books for the first time when they were produced in Court, would lead one to believe that the house-to-house canvass brought in £I,OOO, of which £4OO was used as wages for the office staff, but the accounts and foregoing remarks will dispel this illusion and show that while distributing actual relief to the amount of £857 13s 9Jd the officials by their own efforts raised sufficient to pay salaries and all expenses and distribute £163 6s 8d as wages and commission to members of the unemployed. “While all this has been going on, work has been obtained for many men both casual and permanent, in town and country. We are unaware that any other committee, which has been set up to provide for the unemployed or destitute has ever been required to produce a balance sheet. In conclusion we wou’d point out that Coyle was the only collector at that stage with a box, the other men being supplied with official receipt books. THE BALANCE SHEET The balance sheet, covering the period from September 1, 1927, to May 12, 1928, has on the receipts side the following items: £ s. d. To Street Collection. 26/8/27. Allocated for Relief by Joint Committee .. .. 67 10 5 ~ Donations m 7 gx „ Penny Day in Schools .. 92 3 9 „ Entertainments 156 18 3 „ Sale of Goods 41 1 4 »> Collections by Canvassers 56i 6 4£ Total ~ £1,030 7 10 On the expenditure side are these items: By Relief 623 IS „ Goods 40 6 8 „ Penny Day Expenses .. 6 18 4 ~ Entertainments .. .. H 6 11 4 »• Street Collection .... 259 „ Administration— Salaries 139 0 0 Printing and Stationery 26 12 9J Sundries 21 1 5 Rent 38 5 0 Telephone 10 4 8 Lighting 23610 £1,030 7 10 Balance in hand £2 5 5 “In addition to cash receipts shown, goods, as shown below, were donated by various people, and the expenses entailed in collecting and distributing these are included in the above statement. Second-hand Clothing, Esti- ~ S ' d ' mated 100 0 0 Bread, 500 Loaves 25 0 0 Butter, 2501 b 18 15 0 Jewish Ladies’ Society, New Clothing 40 0 0 Groceries, etc., from various Fi rms 50 0 0 Tot al ~ £233 15 0