CHARITABLE AID

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 302, 5 December 1931, Page 5

CHARITABLE AID

GRANTS TO BE LIMITED. « WELLINGTON BOARD'S DECISION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Dec. 5. “This means actual starvation, not semi-starvation, for hundreds of families in Wellington,” declared Mr. P.Fraser, M.P., in leading a deputation of Labour M.P.’s to the Health Minister, the Hon. J. A Young, this morning about the decision of the Wellington Hospital Board to reduce food rations to unemployed relief workers to full rations m the off week, half rations in the following week, and no rations during the two remaining weeks in tho month. The matter of house rents tame under review also, and the Minister expressed surprise at the high rents landlords were demanding for houses of a poor type, into which many families were reported to be crowding in order to live more cheaply. Sympathy was not enough, tho Minister said, and he promised to help In regard to the hospital’s position, the Minister said it would be entitled to consideration under recent legislation providing for £75,000 to be allocated to boards. The Minister promised to consult his colleagues and get into touch immediately with the hospital authorities to see what measures could be taken for relief. Ho would do his best to co-operate with those in the city who were working to relieve distress, and nothing would be wanting on his part to assist iu helping the poor. A general protest against provisions for the relief of unemployment was made bv a small section of the unemployed. They made representations to the Labour Bureau, but were informed that the unemployment committee had drawn up certain rules. When two tried to make addresses on the premises of the Defence Department the police stepped in and pulled the speakers down. A few warm words were exchanged, but nothing untoward occurred.