Manna House Meals Cost £20 a Week

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 967, 9 May 1930, Page 1

Manna House Meals Cost £2O a Week

APPEAL FOR SUBSIDY NUMBERS FED DAILY An endeavour to secure for “Manna House," the organisation at present supplying free meals to workless people, a Government subsidy, is being made by Mr. W. E. Parry, M.P. for Auckland Central. H B has dispatched the following 1 self-explanatory telegram to the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, at Rotorua: “There is widespread poverty and consequent want in many Auckland homes owing to the fact that so many men are unemployed, and a large number of men, women, and children would be without daily food were it not for the philantropic endeavours of various religious workers. “Yesterday, accompanied by Mi*. H. E. Holland and Mr. Walter Nash, T visited Manna House, where free meals are being supplied to men, women and children by the Presbyterian Social Service Association under the supervision of the Rev. Thomas Halliday and Sister- .Esther. “Although Manna House is in my electorate it provides meals for distressed persons from every part of Auckland, irrespective of creed or nationality. “About 183 free midday meals are being supplied daily involving an expenditure of something like £2O a v eek. The meals are served by voluntary helpers and each of us was dismayed to witness the tragedy of want revealed. “One man brought his little child with him yesterday in order that it might get a meal. “There was a number of women and children at the table set apart for women. “If this service was not being rendered it would mean that well on toward 200 people would be without food daily and, since it will be necess.iry to keep on supplying the meals through the winter months, the association will be involved in a total expenditure of about ‘£soo. “I would respectfully urge that the Government should sudsidise £ for £ the work being carried c*n by Mr. Halliday, Sister Esther, and their helpers. Messrs. Holland and Nash support me in this recommendation, arid I sincerely hope that it will be most favourably considered.”