WORK ON FARMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 200, 24 August 1937, Page 11

WORK ON FARMS.

PENALTY OF REFUSAL. NG RELIEF PAYMENTS. i GOVERNMENT'S DECISION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Monday. "It ie the firm intention of the Government to obtain the beet possible results from the substantial expenditure on relief work and other benefite for the unemployed," said the acting-Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C Webb, in a statement to-night. "This is as essential.to the welfare of the recipients themselves as it is to contributors to the Employment Promotion Fund. "There have been complaints recently from different parts of the Dominion that difficulty was being experienced in inducing recipients of relief to accept available farm work and other occupations in country districts," the Minister ; continued. "I have gone carefully into the position and have no hesitation in saying that the Government cannot and will not continue the payment of relief to anyone who, without valid reason, has refused an offer of such work or made any misrepresentations to obtain relief or evade employment. £7955 Involved in Frauds. "It is to be regretted that misrepresentations so far this year have been fairly numerous, showing a rising tendency each month until at the end of June the total was 1547 cases, involving £7955. That cannot be allowed to go on in any circumstances. "It is beyond question that the Government has done its part in making conditions incomparably better for relief workers and unemployed generally than they were at any time during the depression. Improvements have been numerous over a wide field of distribution."

Mr. Webb instanced improvements the Government had instituted. He emphasised that such rates were not fixed for any men who were not' willing to accept the available employment.