ALL TOTALLY UNFIT?

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 271, 15 November 1937, Page 6

ALL TOTALLY UNFIT?

In the latest unemployment returns it is shown that there were on October 24 16,876 men drawing sustenance payments, and these are divided into two groups, those "awaiting placement" (8377) and those "totally unfit for employment for health or other reasons" (8499). There was a reduction of more than 200 in the size of the first group in the four [weeks before the date of the return, but the second group remained unchanged. The Kinister has said that "thousands" in this group nre not properly classified as unemployed, but should (nnd may next year) be provided for by some other relief agency. But doubt remains as to whether such a large number of men are "totally," in the sense of permanently, unfit. When, during nnd after the war, large numbers of soldiers returned gravely injured it seemed that many would never be fit to work again, | hut u large number responded so well to care j and expert treatment that they surprised both their friends and themselves. It is hardly to jbe imagined that if a comparable effort were jiimdi! to help the unemployed men now jdescribed as "totally unfit" a substantial, -number could not be restored to usefulness. , Such an effort would be expensive, but so is' ,the sustenance system, and its expense is not [to be reckoned only in terms of money. j