INDUCES FRAUD

Hokitika Guardian, 18 October 1932, Page 8

INDUCES FRAUD

RELIEF FUNDS OFTEN ABUSED. i : ■ , - SYDNEY’S BIG PROBLEM. SYDNEY, September 26. j The Syd iey Rescue Work Society states, in' its annual { report, that the | recent establishment of many new i rganisations for the relief of distress , 3 facilitating fraud, and has intensified rather than helped to solve the prob lems of the older organisations that are doing similar work. ! “The all-too-liberal Governmental allowances,” the report adds, “coupled with unorganised private benevolence, has fastened upon the community an army of mendicants who are willing to live upon the dole and such othei allowances as can be secured, without any serious attempt to seek relief form the position of dependents upon State or private charity.: A cursory review of the amount spent in charitable allowances by the State certainly reveals an urgent necessity • for a careful and exhaustible investigation by thoroughly equipped individuals in an endeavour to find some method of relieving the Treasury of the enormous waste ot public funds. We admit that the problem is huge arid any drastic action to reduce the enormous waste of public funds on doles, fami\y endowment, ‘rent allowance,’ and such Governmental relief will be sure to meet strong opposition from the professional agitator and those who seek to overthrow or thwart wise methods of dealing with the acute problem. ‘ ; ' < The numerous agencies brought into existence during the last year.or two, providing free meals and other such help, has* caused us considerable concern whether we should continue our free meals for out of work men. which has been one of the agencies ot the society for nearly 50 years. We greatly fear that the easy method by which men can obtain free meals and shelter is having a demoralising effect upon large numbers, tending to rob them of self-reliance and independence. while l agitators lead them on to cry out for high wages and to stand out against wage ; cuts...At the same time there are a considerable, number of men to whom during the-long continued depression and consequent lack of employment, the, provision of free meals has been of real help, and they have again and again expressed their gratitude for the assistance thus given them.”