SUSTENANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 10, 12 January 1934, Page 8

SUSTENANCE.

ELDERLY WORKERS. VOLUNTARY OVER 50. COMPULSORY IF OVER 60. OFFICIAL STATEMENT TO a STAR." The "Star" has secured from the Unemployment Board an official statement of the new sustenance policy, which is to be introduced in Auckland and Wellington. Much uncertainty had been created and some alarm occasioned through early reports concerning the board's intentions. Briefly, eligible men of 50 years of age and over, and others who are physically incapable of performing the , \\;ork offering, may voluntarily apply j for sustenance, the rate of which will i range from 10/ a week for single men to a maximum of 20/ per week for married men with children under 16 years of age; but men of 60 years or over whose wives are receiving the old age pension will be obliged to accept sustenance, the maximum amount of which will also be 20/ per week. The provisions will be cancelled when useful work can be found for all. The statement of the" Unemployment Board follows:— "The decision to grant sustenance without work appeare from the board's point of view to be the best method of meeting the position arising out of the inability of the employing authorities concerned to provide useful work for all of the men. It should not be regarded by any means as a general or permanent departure from the principle of no relief without work; but when arising from the difficulty of providing suitable employment for all, sustenance must be paid without work to some, men of 50 years of age or over and partially unfit men have the best claim to the concession. Two Classes. "The arrangements now made therefore definitely confine the payment of sustenance without the performance of work to the following two classes of relief workers:— (1) Men of 50 years of age or over who have been on relief work under scheme 5 in Auckland or . Wellington for not fewer than 26 weeks; and (2) Men of any age who are eligible to receive relief, but who, because of some physical, disability, a.re unable to perform the class of . work offering.. "The board anticipates that these provisions, if wholly voluntary, will go soino distance to relieve the difficulty of finding useful employment for the remainder; but, unless it is ruled otherwise, on receipt of application from men of CO years of age or over whose wives are in receipt of old age pensions, these men will be placed on eustenauce at the rate of 15/ per week, plus 2/ per week for each wholly dependent child under the ago of 16 years, the total payment in no case exceeding ?(>/ per week. This is the only class for whom the acceptance of sustenance in lieu of work is proposed to be obligatory. Men Who May Apply. "Other relief workers who are 50 years of age or over, or who are physically unfit to perform ordinary relief v.-ork in Auckland or in Wellington, and ate otherwise qualified, who would probably under normal conditions become a charge on hospital boards, nay apply to be paid sustenance at the following rates without work if no suitable work for them can be found:— "In the case of single men, 10/ per week; in the case of married men whose wives are residing with them, 17/i5 per week, plus 2/ per week for each wholly dependent child under the age of 16 years, but in no case exceeding a total >ayment of 26/ per week. "It should be clearly understood that these conditions and rates of sustenance apply only to relief workers whose circumstances are as set out and who have been in receipt of unemployment relief in Auckland or in Wellington for not fewer than 26 weeks, and-that as soon as arrangements can be made whereby useful employment can be found for all, the sustenance provisions will be cancelled." The Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. M. J. Savage, M.P., to-day both declined to comment on the proposals until they had studied them.