SOURCE OF TROUBLE

Evening Post, Issue 25, 30 January 1935, Page 11

SOURCE OF TROUBLE

LAX ADMINISTEATIOtf

INEXPERIENCED OFFICIALS

(Brltlib Offlclal WtnlM".) (Received January 30, noon.)'

RUGBY, January 29. ■ During the. debate on the new relief regulations inaugurated by the Unemployment Assistance Board, criticism was directed to reductions -in the amount of relief in 'some areas. Tho Labour Minister,1 Mr. Oliver Stanley, recalled that, reductions in areas whore administration had been lax and even illegal were anticipated. He thought also that there were' cases where inexjeriehced officials of new system had not used their discretion, .as was expected in 'making assessments. " It was, however, too early to judge tha new system as a- whole. The Under-Secretary for Labour, Mr. B. S. Hudson, speaking: later in tho debate, attributed the reductions which, were the subject of criticism to former laxity 'in • the administration, to tha stricter definition of the houselords, and to the increased earnings of households. But on tho whole nioro money had been.' distributed this year and the increase would amount in all to £3,000,000 annually. He ' asked dissatisfied applicants to exercise their right of appeal to tribunals. Every effort had been made to ensure that those bodies wero competent and sympathetic.