ACTION PROMISED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 219, 16 September 1935, Page 9

ACTION PROMISED.

AUCKLAND INVESTIGATION.

SEQUEL TO COMPLAINTS,

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

Complaints voiced last week by representatives of the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches regarding unemployment conditions in Auckland are to be the subject of an urgent investigation by the deputy-chairman of the Unemployment Board, Mr. W. Bromley, and the Commissioner of Unemployment, Mr. J. S. Hunter, who are to visit Auckland. An announcement to this effect was made yesterday by the Minister of Employment, Mr. Smith.

"A good deal of attention has been directed during the past few days to published statements reported as emanating from a meeting organised in Auckland by a group of clergy," said Mr. Smith. "The difficult task confronting those whose business it is to administer relief according to the needs is frequently complicated when persons for any reason at all fail properly to recognise the distinction which exists between avoidable and unavoidable distress. There is no evidence yet available whether this has happened in the present instance. As an organisation for the relief of distress due to abnormal unemployment the New Zealand Unemployment Board has done more than any similar body in other countries; it has not only provided continuous relief, where in many countries only periodic relief is given, but its rates of relief generally have been higher. Further, by admitting to the benefit of its relief schemes many persons who would not under any recognised definition qualify for the description of wageearners, it has shouldered a burden which until lately was the acknowledged and accepted responsibility of other authorities which are still in existence.

'Board Must Investigate. , "If, in spite of all the official and private assistance which has been given and is still being given, the Axickland clergymen whose remarks have been given publicity feel warranted in declaring that 'chronic poverty and distress' exist, the Unemployment Board must investigate the matter in order to determine whether the claim rests on any failure of its machinery in the actual cases which the speakers no doubt had in mind when they spoke.

"At tho same time, the board will be anxious to receive for examination and submission to tho Government the practical suggestions which the gentlemen concerned are presumably in a position to offer in connection with the 'immediate constructive programme' which was urged in one of the resolutions carried at their meeting.. I regret that owing to the session of Parliament it is not possible for me as Minister ol Employment and chairman of the Unemployment Board to visit Auckland at present, but I propose to arrange for the deputy-chairman and the commissioner of unemployment to proceed to Auckland for tho purpose of carrying out a personal investigation.

Consultations Planned. "They will have instructions to place themselves in communication with the clergymen who have been quoted in the Press as being concerned about the matter, and the information which they obtain from those and others who wi'l be consulted will be placed before the Government for its consideration lp n their return.

"In reference to my statement some weeks ago that endeavours were being made to place largo numbers of relief workers in full-time employment at standard rates of pay, the complete proposals are now approaching finality and should come before the Government very shortly," concluded the Minister. "Their aim is to give a generous expression of the policy indicated. The view of tho Unemployment Board is that while still taking euro of immediate distress its efforts and funds will be more usefully employed in substituting ordinary jobs for relief work, rather than in expanding relief schemes. The extent to which this will be possible will be influenced by the amount of funds available to the board."