Historical information

Dr Michele Matthews has been a local and social historian for nearly three decades since she first used correspondence held by the then Bendigo City Council for her Honours thesis. She is an ardent advocate for the use of local history records to tell Victorian and Australian history from a grassroots perspective. Michele’s MA thesis, ‘A forgotten “Father” of Federation: Sir John Quick 1852‑1911’ (2003), and her PhD thesis, ‘Survivors, schemes, Samaritans and shareholders: the impact of the Great Depression on Bendigo and District 1925‑1935’ (2007), both drew heavily on Bendigo and district records.

Physical description

Michele Matthews Collection: PHD Research - Relief during the great depression

This item includes the following documents:

8672.71a The document is a formal letter dated 26 April 1934 from the Public Assistance Committee to the Officer in Charge of the Sustenance Branch, Department of Labour, Melbourne.

The letter responds to an earlier communication dated 23 April (reference B102). After considering the request, the Committee states that it sees no benefit in granting special recognition to any particular organisation, specifically mentioning the Bennigoe (or similarly spelled) Act as Counsel for men working on sustenance who have grievances. The Committee believes that establishing or recognising such a body is unnecessary.

The Committee explains that grievances raised by men employed on sustenance have been resolved satisfactorily in the past without the need for a tribunal or any formally recognised representative body. As a result, it concludes that existing methods of handling complaints are adequate and that no additional mechanism should be introduced.

The letter closes formally with "Yours faithfully" and is signed by the Town Clerk, acting as Honorary Secretary to the Committee