ABLE-BODIED

Evening Post, Issue 2, 2 July 1932, Page 13

ABLE-BODIED

THE RIGHT TO RELIEF

UNO CLAM; ON HOSPITALS"

.THE LECIAL POSITION

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

. • ■:■ ■■•■■■■ -•. - NAPIER, Ist July. ~ Interviewed- by the ''Hawkes Bay ■ Herald", with relation to- the responsibilities of hospital boards in coiinoe- , tion with relief for ' registered unemployed, Mr. J. S. Jessep, deputy-chair- ' man of the Unemployment Board, who was on his way through to Wairoa, .stated to-night that legally hospital • boards had no responsibility at any .'-time to able-bodied unemployed men. . In some of the. larger cities in particular they had assumed it to a greater or lesser degree, said Mr. Jessep. In Wellington and Auckland, where tho expenditure had been very large, statements had been made recently in connection with the definition of responsibilities. ' ■ .■ "...'.■

"As a; matter of fact," said Mr. Jessep, "with the. exception of some slight difference of opinion as to what was or was not medically unfit aiah, there Was not at any time, nor could there be, any question as to the responsibility of hospital boards. Definitely unemployed able-bodied, men were not'a charge on hospital boards unlesn they assumed responsibility.- By this I do not for a moment mean to: assert that.tho assistance rendered by hospital boards was not in. some cases necessary, but it appears me that so long, as hospital boards have no direct responsibility to the ratepayers and ca. levy all local bodies for such expenditure as they choose to make, the measure ■of relief they extend to anyone must be entirely at the- discretion of and according to tho composition of the various hospital boards. ■

"On the main question as to the- responsibility of hospital boards in connection with able-bodied unemployed men, there was not, neither has there ever been ]; any question as to legal responsibility.. :

. ."The question as to what is or is not an adequate measure of relief is one upon which all authorities vary," Mr: Jessep continued, "from the Unemployment Board's point of view it ,can only administer to the fullest extent funds provided-for the relief of nnemploymerit and administer those funds so far-as it is able to judge in a_ manner,,calculated to meet the necessities of the- unemployed caused through tho -depression, taking into full account- all tha varying circumstances which exist in different parts of New Zealand, .and .tho' possibilities of the unemployed'being able or unable to supplement the relief allowance given by obtaining other work or other necessaries of life in their neighbourhood."