DISTRESS IN AUCKLAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 60, 31 July 1914, Page 8

DISTRESS IN AUCKLAND.

POVERTY AND I'XEMI'I.OYIIENT. MAINLY DUE TO TliX STHIKE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, .Tuly 30. "The men who were responsible for the strike, and called unionists away from their work, appear, to be still in good circumstances, and well able to light the battle of life, but I know a number of unfortunate fellows who were called out on strike in November w'lo luive been out of permanent employment ever since, and whose families who haVe been for some time practically in a sm* of destitution. They did not want to cease work, but they were afraid to disobey orders, and now they are paying all 'the penalty. It seems almost unfair." This statement was made by .Sister Esther, a well known worker among the Auckland poor, when asked whether the results of the recent strike were apparent among the people with whom she came in contact. .She said that there was not only a greater amount of extreme poverty in Auckland this year, but the loss of employment suffered br many men in consequence of ill-adirised strikes had contributed much to this additional distress. ''The city is in a dreadful state," continued Sister Esther, "and the applications 'being received for aid arc taxing the lvsuurcos of our individual workers and our organisations to the utmost. Yesterday, twenty-seven persons called here seeking assistance, and everyone represented a case of real distress. Fortunately, we are bettel provided that usual with money, clothes, furniture and so on, and we are able to meet these demands upon us. Large quantities of clothes are sent, to the .Sister for distribution, and oil one morning each week she has a constant stream of callers, mostly poorly clad women and children, who are littcd out with warm garments and complete boots. "Poor unfortunate women often come to me suffering from coughs, and 1 find that their boots arc without soles. They might us well be bare-looted, but they go about wearing the uppers for the sake 01 appearances. on eanuot imagine how jealously these poor things hide their poverty. It lias been said that there are few evidences of poverty in the streets. There would 1m I'lion^ 1 :] to startle most people if it were not fur the clothes we hand out. The little children suffer a great deal in this cold weather. The other dav a bright little bov came to that window. 'Sister Esther, he said, 'can you give me a shirt? I haven't got any.' 'l brought him in. He was wearing a woman's blouse with the sleeves cut ((lit. and a pair of ragged trousers, with a bra-.-across his bare shoulders. - '' The relieving olliccr for the Auckland Charitable Aid Hoard. Mr Herbert -lon 's, was also of opinion that the ntrike had aggravated distress in t'he city this whiter. Making a rough approximation >.*• said that applications for relief had increased by about '25 per cent, as compared with last year. On one dav recently no less that IXI persons had called at the board's olLce, to obtain <,t apply lor assistance, and the majority of ihi.se people represented familie-.