WORSE THAN EVER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 394, 30 June 1928, Page 10

WORSE THAN EVER

Unemployment in City RELIEF COMMITTEE IN QUANDARY UNEMPLOYMENT in Auckland is worse than it was last •winter and the Mayor's Relief Committee :s in a quat dary. It has authorised further work, and will meet a <-ain in a fortnight to discuss any suggestions for dealingthe problem.

A meeting of the committee yesterday was sparsely attended. Out of j 29 members, six attended, and three ' sent apologies. £1,178 LEFT IN HAND A financial statement showed that j subscriptions up to Tuesday last amounted to £8,503 Os sd, and subsi- ! dies to £0.859 3s lOd. Other amounts. I including Flower Day. brought the total j to £*16,773 Ss 4d, and the amount now: remaining in hand is £1.178 9s 9d. The Mayor. Mr. G. Baildon, moved that £ 750 of the amount temaining. j and the £750 subsidy, be added to the £I,OOO in hand for the Domain fern- ! er.v, and that hte wokr be put in hand. ! This was agreed to. and the committee took the opportunity of thanking the town clerk, Mr. J. S. Brigham, j for his services in administering the fund. Mr. C. A. Wilson said the fringe of the trouble only had been touched. The position in the city now was worse than ever, in spite of the effort made last winter. The time had come to do more than provide relief work, whicli did not help any but pick-and-sliovel men. Many women were out of work. The Mayor: We have provided many thousands of pounds for relief, and what do we find? The position is worse than when we started. Many men would rather take 9s a day in the city than work in the country. It is a national question. We have done our best, but we have not been helped much. THE TAUPO RAILWAY Mr. K. J. Phelan said there were'men and women on the verge of starvation. Seventy-five per cent, of unemployment was caused by people coming from outside, from all over the country, from Taumarunui to the Xorth Cape. Even people in Invercargill had asked for work last year. As a committee, they should work to compel the Government to take action. The Mayor felt that going round with cap in hand this year was going to result in failure. TJiey wanted something that would be productive. In his opinion, the backblocks wanted roads more than Taupo wanted a railway. Mr. C. A. Wilson said he could not agree with waiting for the Government. It was for them, as business men, to get into the business, and provide work at proper rates of pay. There was too much money being spent on luxuries and pleasures. “We don’t want too much pessimism from a committee like this,” commented Mr. Crump. “Things are on the turn, and we want a little optimism.” Mr. J. H. Jackson: I believe that God helps those who help themselves, and the only thing we can do is to raise

a special loan and lei werv »- bear his share. * The Mayor: That would be ,11 if all the local bodies would do I agree with tlioye who believe Oavis 5 ° Venment j ° b " ,emark ed Mr ? The discussion was then riropned Tne expenditure of the £4 EE? ■naming was left to the discrete,/' the Mayor, and the relief list, J*,, " again opened to public subscrinVi^ larger *»^2*i* Unually be ‘" S SOUP KITCHENS Mr. JJ Wn^n ,eaV "There k : re —• the papers about destitution. anTj'tL” mg mr nn be U d S s -°" P “ tche "' *25? spent the same money as » e did i year there would still be men aklS doss-houses and soup kin hens. ft* aZ y i" S ° in ~ '° ,I,e -2 lou know that two years before a. time we completed spending £7j«,w on streets, and the ratepayer, hav. face that burden. a '* 10 ‘‘ A " e .* ,a " d • r 'd th, Ch*-it. able Aid Board. Has been carrying the baby all the time,Mr. Phelan. It was decided to hold a further meeting in a fortnight, to discuss are suggestions forwarded In the mean time, a letter is to be sent to th. Government urging it to give everr assistance in the present difficulties .. Auckland.