RELIEF OF DISTRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 106, 31 October 1931, Page 7

RELIEF OF DISTRESS

SOCIAL WELFARE WORK

MR. PETHERICK'S REPORT

On Thursday, at a meeting of tho Wellington Hospital Board, Mr. G. Petherick, chairman of tho Social Weifaro Committee, made a statement in regard to relief granted to distress cases, mostly arising from unemployment. Tho social welfare expenditure for tho past month, he said, was £7259— an easy record. For tho six monthly] period just ended tho expenditure was' £14,079 in excess of tho committee's ] estimates. This was practically all due to unemployment. At the last meeting of the board, said Mr. Petherick, rofcrenco was made to tho large cost of assistance given to single men. Ho had made inquiries into this aspect of unemployment relief. Prom the Labour Department he learned that they had 2025 single men placed at work at 15s 9cl per week for tlireo weeks, with the fourth week off. That meant that the earnings of these men did not always amount to 15s 9d a week, because of lost time, etc. The Labour Department had 360 eligible men who wero unplaced. Out of 2000 men, between 600 and 700 were standing down each week. With the 360 unemployed, this represented about 900 who wcro standing down a week.

Mr. Petherick said lie was informed that the Salvation Army's Workmen's Homo was finding sleeping accommodation for an average of 44 men each night; Salvation Army Hostel, 55 a night; City Mission from 165 to 170 beds a night—a total of 264 beds. In the last month the number of general distress cases dealt with by the Social Welfare Committee of the Hospital Board was 1797—an average of 499 cases a week. The cost was £685, or about £.175 a week, as against an average of £200 a week for the preceding five months. There had been a slight reduction iv the number of cases dealt with.

Eeverting to tho assistance given to single men, he said there had been some controversy on tho matter. Inquiries showed that 'these men were all registered to tho satisfaction of the Labour Department. The men were required to make a statutory declaration that the statements they made were correct. The position was now easier so far as assistance granted to single men was concerned.

With respect to general relief granted, not including singlo men, the number of cases on Ist September was 1807. During tho past four weeks 1190 new cases had been dealt with. Cases terminated numbered 986, leaving 2011 still on the books. Of the 2997 cases, 2657 were due to unemployment. At the present time there are 141 inmates at the Ohiro Home, which institution, said Mr. Petherick, had kept within its estimates during the past six months.