SUSTENANCE CLAIMS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 153, 25 March 1937, Page 15

SUSTENANCE CLAIMS

Auckland Investigation ABOUT 30 PROSECUTIONS TO BE MADE Dominion Special Service. Auckland. March 24. As the result of a close investigation of sustenance payments, the employment division of the Labour Departinent now bus about 30 cases in wine i men are alleged to have made false representations and in which it has been authorised to prosecute in court. The system of cheeking was tightened up recently, it being found that so many men were giving false information when applying for sustenance that the investigation staff was increased. Apart from the cases in which it has been decided Io prosecute there are others in which the amounts involved are small or in which there are speck. 1 features in mitigation. Tile u> en concerned are required to refund the amount overpaid if they are in work or, if drawing sustenance, the sum owing is offset by deductions from the sustenance.

Investigations are still proceeding as the result of the check which the department exercised on Monday when non-union waterside workers drew retrospective pay due under the recent agreement with tlie employers. However, in quite a number of cases the pay was not claimed, a fact which may or may not have significance. It was necessary at the pay-out that the men should produce their unemployment levy books, and it is reported that in an astonishingly large number of cases an unsatisfactory state of affairs was disclosed. There were many instances where levies had not been paid. It was also found that a number of men had been working under assumed names and in some eases bad obtained relief under other names. There were also men using levy books which did not belong to them, the name of the owner of the book having been torn out. It is an easy matter for the department to ascertain the name of tlie real owner from the number in the book. .lu wbat manner such books came into the possession of (lie men concerned will be investigated.