Farmer’s dole claim puzzles Minister

Press, 19 June 1986, Page 3

Farmer’s dole claim puzzles Minister

PA Wellington The Minister of Social Welfare, Mrs Hercus, is “extraordinarily puzzled” by an unemployment benefit claim by a Federated Farmers branch chairman. Mrs Hercus said yesterday that she could not understand why the Waipukurau chairman, Mr Tim Gilbertson, should claim that he had been granted unemployment benefit when departmental inquiries were still in progress. Mrs Hercus also queried why Mr Gilbertson should apply for the dole when Federated Farmers said it did not want handouts. Mr Gilbertson said last month that he had signed on for the dole because his 200 ha farm in Hawkes Bay could no longer support him and his manager. He also said he expected his first benefit payment on June 13. Mrs Hercus told Parlia-

ment yesterday that Mr Gilbertson had not been granted a benefit. Information provided by Mr Gilbertson was “markedly different” in some respects from that given by him to the news media, she said. "In his application, Mr Gilbertson indicated that he was employed as a farm manager by a partnership in which he had a 4 per cent interest. By contrast, Mr Gilbertson claimed to the newspapers that he owned two farms,” Mrs Hercus said.