BONUS TO THE NEEDY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 71, 17 December 1935, Page 8

BONUS TO THE NEEDY

Eleven Thousand Adult Recipients 17,000 DEPENDANTS Returns From Hospital Boards Eleven thousand adults will participate iu the Government’s Christmas bonus of £20.000 to the recipients of outdoor relief from the hospital and charitable aid boards throughout the Dominion. The number of dependants affected by outdoor relief at the present time will bring the aggregate of the recipients of the yuletide cash bonus to 28,000. Such are the official estimates as submitted to the Minister of Health. Hon. P. Fraser, by the officers of the forty-five hospital and charitable aid boards functioning in New Zealand. In view of the fact that the boards reported the distribution of direct relief to no fewer than 11,000 cases, it is presumed by the authorities that they represent adults, each entitled to receive £1 from the Government’s bonus as an unconditional extra payment in cash. The 17,000 others are depend ants directly affected by the granting of outdoor relief by the boards concerned. and, as such, ■will be entitled under the scheme of distribution to receive five shillings each. It Las been remarked in parliamentary circles that the aggregate of 28.000 persons wholly dependent upon outdoor relief for the means of living is surprisingly large.