QUESTIONAIRE TO UNEMPLOYED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 4871, 16 February 1933, Page 1

QUESTIONAIRE TO UNEMPLOYED.

MINISTERIAL JUSTIFICATION In the House of Representatives oirTucsday, Mr. F. Jones asked the Minister of Employment whether lie would take immediate steps to prevent investigators going round the houses of relief workers whilst the men were at work and asking their wives questions as to how many rooms were furnished, how many boarders they kept, if any, whether they let rooms, whether they had a piano or a wireless set and what was their age. Hon. A. Hamilton said it had been the practice to require applicants for relief work to (ill in a form showing whether they were maintaining a home and also the, number and ages of the children dependent upon them, with other particulars as to their financial position. This information was necessary to determine the extent to which applicants were eligible for employment. Experience had shown that in a considerable number of instances, the particulars supplied were incorrect and for the purpose of verification, it was found necessary to malice investigations. As a matter of tact in many cases applicants had claimed they had a wife and family, but inquiries had shown they had not made any payments towards their maintenance for considerable periods. In numerous cases it had been found wireless sets, pianos, etc., had been purchased on the time payment system and in other cases on" a straight-out payment, while the men had been on relief work and some of those men had produced accounts front butchers, grocers, etc., in support of the contention that they were unable to purchase the necessaries of life. It was not considered it would be in the interests of either relief workers or taxpayers generally to cease investigations.