It is well that cases of pitiable poverty and want, such as one which came under the notice of a Christchurch Star representative on Wednesday morning, are rare, extremely rare.
In a small cottage in Milne Street, Spreydon, live a woman and her three children, whose ages range from two to six years. The house has four rooms, but the family occupy only two of them. Three old chairs, a tiny table, and a few pictures on the wall comprise the furniture of the kitchen, while two small stretchers are the sole contents of the bedroom. The woman and the three children were neatly but poorly dressed, and it was evident that they were having a hard struggle to make ends meet.
In the course of a conversation, the woman said that her husband was at present in a mental hospital at Porirua, Wellington, and that there was very little chance that he would ever be discharged. During the late strike, when her husband was out of work, she went out washing, and had kept herself, her husband, and five children, the two oldest of whom were now in the charge of her sister in Wellington. It was now 11 weeks since her husband had been sent to Porirua, and ever since then she had been the sole support of herself and the three children.
She earned 12s a week, and 7s went in rent, so that the family had practically been living on 5s a week for two months. Two days in the week the woman goes out washing, two days she takes in washing, and for the rest of the week she is unemployed. She has now applied for charitable aid, and is also making application for a widow's pension. The neighbours have been very kind, and but for their help she would not have been able to live.
• The Methodists of Dunedin and suburbs are no small body, and the need of a combined organisation where delegates of the city and suburban churches could meet and discuss matters affecting the welfare of Methodism has been felt for some time. The parent district chairman (the Rev. E. Drake) took the first steps in the matter, and asked each church to elect three lay delegates to meet and discuss the advisability of forming a Dunedin Methodist Council, to be composed of all Methodist ministers and lay delegates appointed.
Eight ministers and 18 laymen attended this meeting on Friday evening in the Octagon Hall. Apologies were received from several ministers and delegates who were unable to be present, but were in full sympathy with the objects of the meeting. It was unanimously decided to constitute the Dunedin Methodist Council, the following officers being elected: President, Rev. E. Drake; vice-presidents, Mr E. Rosevear and Mr J. B. Shacklock; secretary, Rev. W. Greenslade; treasurer, Rev. W. A. Hay; reporter, Mr D. C. Cameron, jun.; additional members of executive - Revs. F. T. Read, T. A. Pybus, Messrs W. H. Drake and C. W. Wilkinson.
A deputation from the local preachers' meeting was received, and the question of reinstating the combined preachers plan was referred to the executive. The executive was also empowered to draw up a suggested constitution of the council, to be discussed at the next meeting. It was felt by all present that the council had made an excellent start, and it is confidently expected that its future career will have very beneficial results upon the Methodist churches, and will enable united Methodism to discuss those matters affecting its general welfare, as well as to express the mind of the whole Church on important matters that affect the general welfare of the community.- ODT, 19.7.1914.
