The Henson Journals

[195]

Tuesday, April 3rd, 1928.

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A bombshell! The newspapers announce another "National Fund" for which the Lord Mayors of London, Cardiff, & Newcastle issue an appeal, and which the King heads with a liberal subscription. This is to provide boots and clothes for the mining population in Durham and Wales. It is hardly possible to advance a plea for Durham Castle when such an appeal is being pressed. The wisdom of these pauperizing funds has been disproved times without number. They solve no problems, and more often than not worsen the mischiefs which they affect to relieve. This Fund is nothing better than a subterfuge for enabling the Government to avoid facing the really menacing question of permanent unemployment in the mine fields.

Arthur sends £50 to the Durham Castle Fund. This is generous, and welcome.

Mr Carr, an aspirant to Ordination, came to lunch, an amiable but callow youth. He hopes to present himself for the Advent Ordination, and intends after 3 years work in England to go to the Mission Field in Africa. He has been accepted by the Church Missionary Society.

[196]

Lionel and I motored to Cleadon Park, where I confirmed 83 persons in the iron church. They came from Whitburn, Cleadon, & Cleadon Park. The sexes were about equal in number. The service pleased me. I was surprised at the poverty–stricken aspect of the boys, which is explicable by the unemployment which exists in the district. We returned to Auckland after the service.

This afternoon Dr McCullagh observed upon the strange increase in the amount of his rate for electric light. I found my own demand note awaiting me, when I got home tonight, & found that it exhibited the same sinister feature. This is the more surprising since in 1927 Ernest was here. The amounts are these:–

–	1927	1928
Jan.	£7. 11. 6	£7. 16. 4
April	£4. 7. 1	£9. 11. 7

The charge has considerably more than doubled. There must be some explanation for the increase, and I must at least attempt to discover it.

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