A CHALLENGE

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 13, 17 January 1933, Page 8

A CHALLENGE

RELIEF ALLQCATIONS

IS PALMERSTON BETTER " OFF?

(By Telegraph.)" : (Special to "The Evening Post.") PALMERSTON N., This Day. A challenge to the Unemployment Board to prove a statement that it has given deputations from the city that in regard to allocations and' other assistance Palmerston North is better off than any. other city of fhe Dominion Z aS adA by the May°r (Mr. A. E. Mansford) when speaking at the public meeting m the Opera House last night, l am totally opposed," said the Mayor "to the unsatisfactory distribution of the allocations and days now given. The board is trying to sidestep the issue by saying it is for the certifying officer to arrange the allocations. It is merely trying to cloud the issue I have had to go to Wellington to interview the board on several occasions, and I am told that with the allocation and other assistance rendered^ to Palmerston North we are better off than.any other city. I would challenge the board to prove this by supplying a statement of the other cities showing the figures of unemployment and their allocations.' In aiiv case we do not want favouritism for Palmerston North.'-' • ■ " ■

Continuing, Mr. Mansford said he hid written to the Mayors of other cities seeking information regarding allocations and wages, and what he had learnt would come as a surprise to many In Auckland a single man receded 13s 6d, a married man £1 2s 6d, T-, th,? no cWld £1 7s > wit* children S-l lls 6d,,with -three children £1 16s In addition, supplementary rations were issued to large families, ranging up to 10a a week. Those were higher rates than were being paid in Palmerston North, and in this city there were no supplementary rations. The position in Wanganui was practically on a- par /With Palmerston North. In another city four days' work was being provided. Eighteen shillings for single men, with a stand-down week, was being provided in another city. It was no good the board trying to tell ' him that Palmerston North was better off than other cities.

Surely, he said, it was not impossible to fix a schedule of days and rates of pay which would, apply right", throughout the Dominion. If this was done he was sure it would be more satisfactory to all concerned.