Delay In Granting Benefit Criticised

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31724, 6 July 1968, Page 38

Delay In Granting Benefit Criticised

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 5. The Social Security Department was criticised in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court today for its slowness in awarding an unemployment benefit.

Placing Christine Ellen Reriti, aged 17, an unemployed machinist, on probation for two years on charges of receiving stolen goods, Mr J. J. Sullivan, S.M., said that

if Reriti had received the benefit earlier she might not have been forced into the circumstances which led to her crime. He said society as a whole Was partly responsible for her appearance in court “It is unfortunate that your application for the unemployment benefit was dealt with in so unrealistic a manner and that the department penalised you so that you were without money for six weeks,” said Mr Sullivan. “Because of your immaturity it is no surprise, destitute as you were, that you went to seek bed and board with this criminal,” he said. “If assistance had been given to you when you had shown such obedience to your probation officer’s call for you to obtain work, you would probably not have appeared here,” the Magistrate said. Ivan Mando Taumata, aged 19, a cleaner, appeared for sentence on seven charges of breaking and entering, two of car conversion and one of theft. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison.