A RECORD

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1924, Page 4

A RECORD

VERY LITTLE UNEMPLOYMENT

CHARITABLE AID FIGURES

CAUSES OF DISTRESS:

"This must be a record," remarked a member at, yesterday's meeting of the Hospital Board, when the chairman of the Social Welfare Committee (Mr. G. J. Petherick) reported that during December there were only nine cases of unemployment receiving the committee's attention. This number was reduced to six, and yesterday he had been informed that the number was down to two. "That is a record, is it not?" inquired a member. "As far x as I know," replied Mr. Petherick. "As far as my associationwjth the Social Welfare Committee is concerned it is a record. ■ The cost of maintenance of these two families amounted to £6 only." During the nine months ended 31st December, seid Mr. Petherick, the Social Welfare Committee had expended £163 below the estimate, while the receipts were £161 above the estimate. .That was not how the figures .would work out finally, but the best quarter from the financial point of view had yet to be gone through. "What amount do we receive from old age pensioners?" inquired Mr. A. R. Hornblow. "About £1200," replied the chairman of the board (Mr. F. Castle). "It is in the vicinity of over £100 a month." Mr. Hornblow was not altogether in favour of %he committee taking money from the ( old age pensioners. "It reminds me of the days when Dickens was alive," he said. According to a comparative table the causes of distress in the cases which came, before the Social Welfare Committee during December were as " follows :—

Twenty-two cases were terminated during December, leaving 104 standing as at Ist January. A comparative table for the month of December is as follows:— Outdoor—

A classification: of the 126 cases dealt with in December, the-number of peiv sons affected, and the approximate cost of relief per week is as follows: —

During the' nine months 'ended 31st December £6253 was expended on outdoor relief as follows:—City £§034, Petone and Butt £932, Johnsonville £42. Hutt County £245. - The.amount of £4041 was spent ori indoor Telief. Receipts fronv old age pensions and general totalled: £1276: '

Dec. Nov. Oct. Sep. Aw;. Unemployment 9 33 31 26 38 Desertion and Seoaration , .: 22 16 16 19 19 Sickness ; 42 44 53 58 62 Widowhood 30 31 28 29 23 Old Age 7 8 8 9 12 Imprisonment 5 8 7 6 5 Miscellaneous 11 8 10 8 8 . 126 138 153 166- 172

_ X»Z3. 1K22. 1WS1. Total number of cases ... 126 132 120 Daily average persons ... 420 414 3Sfi Hutions 1565 1093 10 54 Cnsh grants £131 ,£173 £107 Children : £. £3 £3 £3 Indoor— Daily average persons 115 118 106

No. of Adults. Chil- cost ■ _ cases. dren. per wk. unemployment ... 9 12 19 £5 Desertion 22 22 GO £2-f Sickness 42 62 73 £42 Widowhood 30 SO 100 £S"> Old Age 7 9 — £2 Imprisonment ... 5 6 10 £3 Miscellaneous .... 11 . 15 ,• 45 £10