HELPING UNEMPLOYED

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 225, 19 June 1936, Page 11

HELPING UNEMPLOYED

British Board’s Huge Task

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received June 18, 5.5 p.m.)

Rugby, June 17.

The magnitude of the task confronting (lie Unemployment Assislance Board in creating a new social service for able-bodied unemployed is described in the board’s first annual report. Appointed on July 1, 1934, the board was called on to set up within six months more than 300 district offices manned by a staff of over 6000 persons and to appoint 130 appeal tribunals. On the first appointed day, January 7, 1935, it was required to assume the responsibility for the transitional payments class, amounting to about 800,000 applications, who. with their dependants, made a total of about 2,500,000 persons. On the second appointed day, March 1, 1935. a further 200,000 applicants were taken over. Lord Rushcliffe, chairman of the board, states in his introduction that no social service on such a large scale has been attempted in this country within such a limited period. Fears that the board will prove soulless and bureaucratic have, he says, proved groundless. Many examples are quoted of the way in which officers have given extra assistance in cases of special need.