DISPARITIES

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 64, 16 March 1934, Page 9

DISPARITIES

RELIEF ALLOCATIONS

BOUND TO OCCUR

LIMITED FIXANCE

The deputation from the Municipal Conference appointed to wait upon the Prime Minister to inquire into the reasons for disparities in the relief fund allocations as between different , districts stated their case to Mr. Forbes, to the Hon. J, Bitchener, Acting. Minister of -Employment, and to Mr. J. S. Jessep, deputy'chairman of the Unemployment Board, today. The Prime Minister promised to look into the position, but expressed the opinion that with limited funds and in particularly difficult circumstances disparities were bound' to arise. A number of speakers expressed sharp dissatisfaction that they had been unable to obtain information , from the Unemployment Board. The deputation was introduced by Mr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P., who said that tho conference wished it to be clearly understood that.it did not wish the allocations for smaller centres to bo brought up at the ,expense of lower allocations for the. larger towns. : The Mayor of Wellington, (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) said that it had emerged at the Municipal Conference that there was a considerable'degree of dissatisfaction among certain members over tho disparity between district allocations, and it was desired therefore to ascertain the reasons for such variations. All members of the conference were not equally affected, but it was felt that those who were concerned should have the support of the full conference. : '• Mr. I. Bridger (Mayor of Eltham) said that the disparities in district allocations were creating real difficulties in dealing with .the. unemployment problem, and further difficulty arose through the fact that information'was not available from the Unemployment Board. "I suggest," said Mr. Bridger, "that the conditions and the position of the men;in their districts arc better known to mayors and members . of local bodies than to the "Unemployment Board, yet we have not had the respect which those* considerations deserve. The .Government; can have the assistance of the mayors of the country in the difficulties of administration if the Government desires it. We are aslt:ing that the relief allocations should be'righted and .that something like tmiforinity for the provincial towns shonld be introduced. : \ : ■ Mr. ■ Bridger proceeded to quote figures showing cases of marked discrepancy, ' and said that no district asked for particular treatment,/ but merely for reasonably equal treatment. It was recognised thai; tho. cities had particular, difficulties and were therefore to be given special consideration. INCREASING DISSATISFACTION* ■The Mayor of Hastings, Mr. E.Maddison, also said that they did not desire the city allocations to be reduced. Such marked disparities: as were found in . various districts were leading to serious dissatisfaction. It was a factor • which threw an increased burden upon Mayors, and, indeed, it appeared to bo the policy of the 'Unemployment Board ..to throw, an increasing burden upon . the, welfare organisations of the country.. ..:-.■• --V -. .::,.■;-,-..:;■„.. : ; Mr. Maddison said that he also wished to protest against the action of someone in cutting out 'the smaller towns from a share of art union . pro;eoedsyr■• though .ho understood that^tho cities, were still receiving a share. Hawke's Bay, he said, was anxious to : co-operato with tho Unemployment Board, and the committee there was anxious to accept responsibility, provided it was given authority to do the work ahead, for it believed that, given that authority, it could solve-at least half of the.problem in the province. It was : only-with the greatest difficulty that the.men were■ being restrained from violence. ';_

Mr. W.H. Woods, Mayor of Ashburt<jn, said that the difficulties over unequal allocations were being increased today, because of the knowledge of the men that the discrepancies were so great and there was a growing restlessness and feeling of resentment. ;It had* .been said that one of the' main reasons was the cost of living, but in some of the smaller centres rents and food were even lrighetfthan in nearby cities. Those in closest touch..-with the position were •becoming very: anxious as to tho outcome of. the growing restlessness. "Has not the time come when the ■whole of the proceeds from art-unions should- be devoted" to the most essential need—to the relief of distress?" ask eel .-Mr.! Sullivan. .. .-:.■.":,'.■' ' {THE COST OF THE 'PROPOSAL. . The Prime Minister, said he recognised that mayors were' closer to the problem than, he or members of • the Government, for they dealt with it every day, and he fully sympathised with those in" charge of .local government, affairs. .The whole object of the unemployment relief schemes was to assist those in necessitous circumstances. The'people were being asked to put their hands into their pockets to iKe tune of four million pounds per year, a pretty heavy burden which, if , made "heavier, would so discourage industry that there would be a drift backwards and initiative would be de: stroyed. In addition to the revenue from, taxation great sums had been raised voluntarily, and New Zealand had done very well indeed. ' "What is asked is that we bring the allocations up to the amount received in the cities,"-continued. Mr. Forbes: "There is no suggestion that Wellington, which'receives the highest in New Zealand, should ,be reduced to, say, what Chrisjtchurch gets. I don't know whether the conference went into ths .matter of what the cost and the extra taxation would be." tTtfAVOIDABLE DISPARITIES. "The policy of the : Unemployment Board has been 'to relievo the places in which the burden of unemployment is heaviest," said Mr. Forbes. I quite realise that dissatisfaction is felt over disparities of allocations in towns side by side, but the Government has not abundant funds, and even with the four million pounds the very closest economy has to ba adopted in the expenditure of the ' fund, and the result is the anomalies which you.are quite justified in bringing up. . . ° Whenever there was: any special complaint the Unemployment Board, and the Minister would be only too willing to inquire into the circumstances, added Mr. Forbes. Mr. Sullivan: One of the main causes of dissatisfaction is that we cannot get information as to why things are done. THE BOARD'S ATTITUDE. Mr. Jessep said that perhaps Mayors •were too close to the problem to gain a national view such as the Unemployment Board obtained. He repeated that the relief system was not designed to provide a permanent source of income as an alternative to private employment, for if allowed to drift into permanency the country would be burdened indefinitely with the weight of relief taxation and individuals would be, deprive?! of any incentive to seek to themselves. It was no'use disguising the fact that in many towns . and villages many men were better off than ■ they had ever been —those men

who were at any, time, largely dependent upon their fellows. Mr. Sullivan: Tho permanently unemployable; not more than 5 per cent. Probably, replied Mr. Jessep, but 5 per cent, of 50,000' was a big number. When industry again began to absorb labour, continued Mr. Jessep, the need for relief began to decrease, but it was not an easy matter to contract the measure of relief in a proportionate .degree. Strenuous efforts would be made in some quarters to retain the present scale of relief arid taxation, and those interests would ignore the essential truth that relief must bo measured by need alone. The future of the "unemployables" was not a matter of primary concern to the present relief administration. . The duty of encouraging the deserving unemployed citizens to rehabilitate themselves was more than the responsibility of the board; it was the civic and neighbourly duty of local public men. After referring to ' the various schemes, Mr. Jessep dealt with complaints as to variation in allocations, ■and said that the allocations were detcrmihed by the particular requirements of different districts;- fuel costs in colder districts, the -'.'.amount of casual work available in-, a district, whether vegetables and. other foods could be grown, add: the, potentiality of the individual ;to help himself. The question was not one for party politics, for if ever there was a, problem which demanded disinterested handling for. the good of the country it was that of unemployment relief. '■ . ■'.■■'■ Mr. Maddison: It is no party matter with', us. ~' ■ .■':•■ REASONS FOR MS SATISFACTION. Mr. Sullivan again asked why Mayors were not told the reasons for. the determination of their allocations. Mr. Wood?: Yes, we have, asked for reasons month after month and can get no reply o,ther than evasive replies. Another delegate: The difficulty is that we don't hayo the opportunity to discuss these matters. "We don't even know who makes the decision or how it is made. All that we do know is that we are not consulted. > Mr. R. Eyre, Mayor of Ngaruawahia: We'want to disabuse your mind. We are not asking for the impossible. We will be quite satisfied if we, can. go away with a good reason why such disparities exist. •.'.■' . '. ■"■':.'■•■< Mr. Bridger quoted other cases of-4s 8d arid 7s 4d per week.for single men in twb Taranaki towns where, he maintained, conditions were identical. '* '■'_'. Mr. Forbes: Might not the concentration of men have a considerable, effect? . Mr. Bridger: The percentage is the same throughout Taranaki. Did the fact that Christehureh had. been particularly generous in voluntary help .constitute a "special circumstance"?Mr..Sullivan asked. ■ Mr. Forbes,said that that would not be so regarded. . Unfortunately they were just 'plain men, not supermen, and somebody had to decide. BOARD AND CHARITABLE BODIES. Replying to Mr. J. Jackson,, Mayor of Gisborne, who had-referred- to the possibility of raising a loan, using part of the taxation tcmeet capital charges, Mi-i Forbes,said that/he did not think that that was a wise way, of tackling the unemployment problem. • : Mr. J. E. Campbqll, Mayor of Hawera: If the disparity leads to a migration to the more favoured centres, what then t . ■ '. '~''■■. : ■ Mr. Josse'p said- that that had not happened. "'' : The; slow starvation . of■•'-. relief workers arid their'wives and families was •bound to have a serious effect upon the future of the country, said Mr. J. Guineven, Mayor of Takapuna. . If', there were'; specific cases where charitable; organisations had not met such cases they should be made known to the board; said Mr. Forbes. Mr. Sullivan: There- are such cases. Th,e charitable ■body says that it is a matter for the'board,, and the board says that it is for the charitable organisation, and. between them the slow starvation continues. ' . Mr. Forbes: That does not say much for the charitable organisations. It is my belief that'they are doing their Very best.:, ■ ;'V /' . ■"".... '«•'• ' ':" ~' Mr. Sullivan: But that does happen. .A South Island delegate said that.he 'could not even ascertain what the amount of the. week's, allocation was, the certifying officer stating that he had been instructed, not to give that information. Why was that? ''.."■

Mr. Jessep-stated that certain v in : formation was only available to f Government' officers.- ■

Mr. B/;J. v}Torke (Motueka):■-.- Mr. Jessep has said that the'unemployment figures have .decreased and that men are being rcabsorbed in work. If that is so,: why. is there not money for a larger allocation for .-the : country districts'? ; ■;.-;.-'.;'. -. .;> -v ...

Mr. Forbes replied that the winter was coming on. ; '

Mr. M..F; E.: Yorke, Mayor of Oamaru: One great weakness is that the Unemployment Board does not recognise that mayors ha.ye a greater local interest than has the board.

, The Prime Minister assured the deputation that he would go fully into the points raised. . . : ~ \ '