MAORIS ON RELIEF

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 21 November 1932, Page 7

MAORIS ON RELIEF

BACK-COUNTRY APPLICANTS - WHAKATANE’S EXPERIENCE The opinion expressed in Opotiki that- many Maoris are taking advantage' of the Unemployment Act by.registering as unemployed is strongly supported in Whakatane, reports. - the “Auckland Star”, correspondent. The Mayor, Air W. Sullivan, who is chairman of the local unemployment committee, says Maoris from Ruatoki, Matahi, and even Ruafaliuna are register) ng. He is strongly of the opinion that many of these aret taking advantage of the scheme, and have no need of it. The local committee has. applied to the Native Band Board and other sources for the rent rolls dr other particulars to assist it in deciding on thp eligibility of applicants, but cannot get any satisfaction. Th 6 local committee <lias rejected- applications niade under the latest 5 —2- scheme, considering it unsuitable for this district. Mr. Sullivan considers that aU the unemployment schemes are being pbused, and should he scrapped, and that use should be made of sufficient of the wages tax to subsidise hospital boards to administer relief for necessitous cases. He is convinced that if that were done the numbers of the unemployment roll Avould shrink tremendously. The number of m4n oil unemployment scheme of the local register is as under: No. 5 scheme, 83 natives and 99 Europeans; 4a scheme, two natives and 40 Europeans; 4b scheme, six natives and 22 Europeans. The secretary of the l - local committee says fresh applications from natives in outlying parts are coming in' continually. .in spite of the fact that seasonal work is available.