PLEDGE GIVEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 136, 10 June 1932, Page 5

PLEDGE GIVEN.

RELIEF FOR THE UNFIT. STATE TO CARE FOR B CLASS. HOSPITAL BOARDS TAKE C CASES. ME. WALLACE SATISFIED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. "I am sure you will all be pleased to learn that we have arrived at a satisfactory arrangement with Mr. Coates, as Minister of Employment, this morning with respect to the position which has arisen between the Government and hospital boards as to the employment of A, B and C classes of unemployment men," stated Mr. W. Wallace president of the Hospital Boards' Conference, to-day. "Representatives of the hospital boards met Mr. Coates this morning," Mr. Wallace added, "and he has agreed to accept class B men, so that the only class the hospital boards will be responsible for will be class C men—men who under normal conditions could not earn their own living, or, in other word, ordinary charitable aid cases."

"On behalf of the Hospital Boards' Association I offered Mr. Coates the cooperation of all hospital boards. We told him that the boards had the resources, organisation and expert officers to deal with such cases. We stated that any outlay incurred by boards in providing for such distress relief must be repaid by the Government. Mr. Coates said he quite understood that, and was willing to accept the position." A conference delegate asked whether the deputation ascertained if the money would come from the Unemployment Board or from the Consolidated Fund. The Chairman: I did not question Mr. Coates as to where the money was to coi'io from. The Minister gave us the pledge I have stated. The conference set up a committee to bring down a report on remits dealing with unemployment relief.