RATION SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 264, 3 August 1932, Page 10

RATION SCHEME

Position at Christchurch MR. JESSEP TO REPORT Mayor Interviews Minister Dominion Special Service. x Christchurch, August 2. To make a thorough investigation into the working of the Government ration scheme, Mr. J. S. Jessep, deputychairman of the Unemployment Board, at the request of the Acting-Minister of Employment, the Hon. A. Hamilton, is coming to Christchurch this week. Mr. Hamilton is also asking Mr. R. T. Bailey, officer in charge of the Labour Department at Christchurch, to go to Wellington to discuss the position with him.

The Mayor, Mr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P., interviewed Mr. Hamilton at Wellington yesterday, and communicated the results to a deputation of unemployed that waited on him, the Christchurch members of Parliament, and representatives of the Hospital Board, this morning. r Cases of hardship were quoted by members of the deputation. A woman broke down when telling of her children who had eaten raw sausages because there was no fire in the house to cook them. The Government ration scheme was criticised on the ground that the. people running it did not understand the necessities of the people. Mr. H. T. Armstrong, M.P., said he knew of one man who, after two weeks’ battling, had obtained a ration ticket worth two shillings for his wife and family. Mr. Sullivan said that in the interview with Mr. Hamilton the latter had said that one reason for withholding information about the working of the ration sceme in Christchurch was that if it were disclosed that Christchurch was receiving more than other cities feeling would be caused. Continuing, Mr. Sullivan said the Minister had asked him, in his capacity of Mayor, to see the position through until the results of the investigations were available. He was not going to refuse the request, but he was not saying that things would be all right after Mr. Jessep’s visit.