ASSISTANCE WANTED

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 90, 13 October 1931, Page 11

ASSISTANCE WANTED

DEPUTATION TO 3IR

COATES

MINISTER'S REPLY

The "Wellington Citizens' ■Unemployment Committee recently waited on the Iliight Hon. J. G. Coatcs (Minister in Charge of Unemployment), and made several requests on behalf of the work- ; crs. The committee asked that a minimum of an additional £.850 be granted weekly to offer employment to the un- | placed and eligible applicants, and that an endeavour be made to stop the curtailment or! the rationed days to each classification; that a monthly, instead of a weekly, allocation be made; that blankets be part of the equipment provided at camps; that a pair of boots be issued on entry to ■camp; and that the men sent to camp be informed of a stipulated amount that they would receive instead of the present system of being on trust. In a reply considered by the committee to-day, Mr. Coates stated that the request that a minimum of £850 be granted to the committee, additional to the ordinary allocations made for the operation of the No. o Scheme, had been considered. As the Wellington centre was receiving its allocation at a slightly higher rate per unemployed man than tho general rate for the Do--, minion, Wellington was now better treated titan most of the other centres. He regretted, therefore, that the request could not be agreed to. The prosent allocations were made to meet the requirements of each particular week, and as tho local conditions varied from' week to week, and the registrations of "unemployed did not remain stationary from ono week to another, it was obviously impossibleto anticipate the requirements a month ahead and still keep within the confines of tho total amount available for relief under the No. 5 scheme. The question of granting relief to single men with dependants on the same basis as married men was being further considered^ Provision for tho supply of blankets, clothing, and boots could not be made from tho Unemployment Fund, and th» Defence Department had neither boots nor blankets available. The Unemployment Board fully sympathised with the men unable to equip themselves. This, however, seemed a proper avenue for the charity and help of local citizens. In a reply, Mr. J. I. Goldsmith (chairman of the committee) wrote stating that he was disappointed in not obtaining, in part, at any rate, any of th© requests. Eeferring to clothing, he stated that the charity of Wellington citizens had been wonderful. No fewer than 1300 pairs of boots, 480 pairs of trousers, 300 pairs of socks, and 12 pairs, of blankets had been distributed amongst tho unemployed during tho past few months. The committee de* sired that the citizens should bo relieved of tho expenses and tho money directed into supplies for distressed families. .The employment of men. housed iv relief camps should, in the committee's opinion, justify providing tho men with blankets and a pair boots each in addition to the facilities at present provided.