Professional Cadgers Eliminated in City

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 839, 6 December 1929, Page 1

Professional Cadgers Eliminated in City

RELIEF SERVICE’S WORK

PRAISE FOR MR. SCRIMGEOUR The elimination of the professional cadger in Auckland has been successfully accomplished by the Auckland Businessmen’s Relief Service. At the annual meeting it was shown how the professional cadgers who bad previously pestered the business men of the City had been driven out to pester men in the suburbs. However this nuisance has now been cambated by the Relief Service and commercial men in the City’s outer areas were now linking up. It is hoped, during the coming year, to include professional men—dentists, doctors, lawyers, etc. —and housewives in the Relief Service, but nothing definite has yet been done. FOUNDER COMPLIMENTED The founder of the Relief Service, the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour, was highly complimented for his work. His services to the organisation have been given gratis by the Methodist Board of Management. This has made it posible for the Relief Service to give 100 per cent, charity on all money donated or collected. Mr. Scrimgeour has never received any allowance of any kind, and has even defrayed the cost of his own tyres and petrol used in inquiring into cases of hardship and unemployment. It was felt that the cost of running the motor-car should be met in some • way, and it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the executive tp deal with, but that whatever action was taken it must not affect the-100 per cent, charity which was a feature Of the service. In moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet Mr. A. Thompson said that one could not help being impressed by the reception which had been given the organisation after its trial. When the continual callers found that they received the same cards to go to the same depot for assistance, they got tired of doing .so, with the result that city business men had been left alone by the professional cadgers. Men in the suburbs, who formerly had received few calls for help from these people, now found that they were getting a great deal of attention and they had willingly linked up with.the Relief Service. Other speakers gave instances of how, before the formation of the organisation, they had received seven and eight calls a day. Now they hardly had one a day. On one occasion two men asked for their fares to Taumarunui, where they said they had employment. The Relief Service sent a telegram to the name given and word came back that no such men had been offered work. The whole scheme of the organisation had been a great success and had long been wanted in the -.ity. YEAR’S CONTRIBUTIONS The annual report stated that general contributions during the year had amounted to £967 10s, and the expenditure had beeu £79 18s in excess of this sum. The expenditure included: Groceries £590, meals £l7l, clothing and boots £l7l, coal, firing and gas accounts paid £163, lodging and rents paid £lOl, fares paid £75, casual beds £57, nursing and medical sundries £SO, meat £33. It was decided to leave the annual donations by the members of the Service as usual. These are to be voluntary.

Speakers to the annual report included the chairman, Mr. H. R Jones, and Messrs. J. C. Craig, R. A. Laidlaw and E. C. Huie. The executive committee was elected as follows: —Messrs. H. R. Jones, R. A. Laidlaw, M. J. Bcuneft and F. M. Hills.