CHAIRMAN'S REPLY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 42, 19 February 1931, Page 13

CHAIRMAN'S REPLY

A copy of the above letter was shown to Mr. G. Petherick, chairman of the Social Welfare Committee of the, Hospital Board, who replied as follows: — "The statement made by the correspondent is practically true so far as the general position is concerned. The members of the Social Welfare Committee ara doing all they can to meet the situation. The staff has been increased lately. On Monday afternoon, the chairman and the Social Welfare Officers dealt with 255 oases, apart from 74 cases dealt with at Petone. We were dealing with '" them from 2 o'clock until half-past 7. Thesis were married unemployed cases. On Tuesday we dealt with 107 cases—all prac-, tically uew applications. The increase in the number of applications for relief has been mounting up for some time. The staff has been doing its best; they never complain about'working overtime—often till late at night. Now that the Unemployment Board is finding work for those needing it, we are expecting and hoping that the situation, will be considerably relieved, and that the position in the city will get back to normal. Even with an increased staff, such a position as that de-' scribed by the correspondent -is apt t»' occur."