WINTER RELIEF

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 94, 22 April 1933, Page 13

WINTER RELIEF

EXTENSION OF HELP

MINISTER'S STATEMENT

In' the course of an address at Rivers.dale on Wednesday evening the Hon. A. Hamilton, Minister of Employment, touched briefly on certain aspects of the problem of unemployment, reports the -"Southland Times." He said that although more than £ 75,000 a week was being expended by the Government in various forms of relief, and although this represented the full income receivable for this purpose, it was hopod that during the winter months some extension of the help at present being given to tho workless would be possible. This extra relief might not tako the form of work, but bo distributed in rations. One mothod under consideration was tho supplying of articles such as blankets and footwear to the most necessitous cases. , After referring'to the importance of the small farm plan and to goldmining in unemployment relief, Mr. Hamilton replied to the criticism so frequently levelled at the Government because of the differentiation made in allocations to the main and to country centres. He said it was quite true that the four main cities received more than the smaller cities and towns and the country districts less still, but he submitted that this was justified owing to tho higher cost of living in the bigger centres and to tho greater possibilities of obtaining casual work in the country. "I fully appreciate how the country people feel about this matter," said Mr. Hamilton, "but I ask thorn to consider the fairness of the method used. I represent a country constituency, but I must say that I consider the present system the most equitable." While conceding that he realised fully the seriousness of the problem of employment for the young people of the Dominion, Mr. Hamilton said he could not but regard it as a challenge to youth. In recent years Now Zealand had been a very fortunate country for young men and women. Now they were being challenged, just as in earlier years the youth of the country had been challenged. The latter had triumphed, and he was sure the present generation was no less capable of coming through victorious. If they accepted the challenge and won they would make all the better men and" women. Their task was certainly hard, but not a whit worse than that facing their forbears. Those "who by their own initiative and courage emerged- successful would, benefit greatly from their experience.