DESTITUTION IN SYDNEY.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 March 1918, Page 2

DESTITUTION IN SYDNEY.

RAKING THE GARBAGE CANS. . Poverty in Sydney is increasing. The crowd of women and children who rake I he garbage (ins at the Sydney municipal markets in search of vegetables and fruit is becoming larger. One morning last week there were from 100 to 150 present. Most of them were scantily clothed, and it was common fro see the children in rag.-, bare-headed, and without boots. Some women carried babies in Hieir arms, while others wheeled perambulators. All had sugar bags and carryalls. The children turned out the novas, while the women cut away the diseased portions from the potatoes, onions, pumpkins, and tomatoes. Young women and children were seen picking vegetables out of the gutters, while three women, aged between 00 and 70 years, were noticed taking cabbages from manure heaps. Officials of the city markets point out that, the garbage bins that aro raked by the poor are nothing but fever beds, and are left uncovered and unprotected all day and night. On numerous occasions, it was stated, the attention of ihe avi-. thorities had been drawn to the menace, but nothing so far had been done.