WHO SHOULD PAY?

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 164, 13 July 1928, Page 14

WHO SHOULD PAY?

FOR RELIEF OF DISTRESS.

HOSPITAL. BOARDS' PROBLEM.

DEPUTATION TO GOVERNMENT

NON-COMMITTAL REPLY GIVEN.

"If we go on relieving unemployment at the present rate, which is a charge upon the charitable aid side of the Hospital Board, we will probably exceed our estimates this year by £-5000," said Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the ?Cew Zealand Hospitals' Association, and chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, who returned to Auckland yesterday after having interviewed the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance in Wellington on tiie question of unemployment. "This lias been the worst winter so far. in the experience of my board," said Mr. Wallace. "It has been far worse than last year, but there appear to be siana of bettor times and we are all awaiting brighter prospects during the next few months." Mr. Wallace said that on behalf of the Hospitals' Association, he, with other representatives, including Mr. E. H. Potter, had important interviews with the head of the Government, who had referred them to the Minister of Finance when it came to a question of asking the Government to provide further monetary assistance. Auckland the Most Affected. "Wnat we wanted to know," said Mr. Wallace, "was whether the cost of affording relief to able-lnxlied unemployed and their dependants should be a charge on the particular localities in in which the unemployment was rife or a charge upon the Dominion as a whole. I pointed out that until about two years ago, such relief was comparatively small from year to year, and had been accepted as an ordinary function of hospital boards to provide the assistance. Since then unemployment of the employable bread-winner lias become, in certain hospital districts, one of the greatest causes of distress. Auckland stands first as having the highest number of unemployed. Then come Wellington, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Wanganui, Dunedin and Napier in that order. are the boards most affected. and have been bearing a greater burden than they should be called upon to carry. A few districts have, however. escaped any burden at all. Both in Auckland and Wellington, there "has been such a heavy call upon the hospital boards' funds as to cause the members most serious concern. "Due to National Causes." "The Government was told in very clear terms that the greater proportion of the present unemployment is due to national economic causes, and in view of the tendency of unemployed people to drift to the larger centres, it was urged that relief of distres should fairly be borne out of the Consolidated Fund." Mr. Wallace said that the reply both from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finar.ce was favourable, as far as consideration of the case was concerned, but a non-committal reply was - given. "There is no doubt," added Mr. Wallace, "that the Government will rise to the occasion, because they must realise, as I do, that it is a matter of urgent necessitv."