SICK RELIEF WORKERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 256, 26 September 1935, Page 2

SICK RELIEF WORKERS.

REPORT TO BUREAUX

Per Press Association

WELLINGTON, Sept. 25.

Mr W. A. ' Veitch asked the Minister of Employment in the House of Representatives to-day whether he would amend the regulations governing unemployment relief to provide that sustenance men who were ill might report by declaration instead or in person. Hon. S. G. Smith replied that the purpose of the calls made at employment bureaux by men on sustenance was to show their availability for employment. Persons who are ill were not available for employment and were the responsibility of the hospital boards. The Unemployment Board had, however, been allowing relief recipients’ payments to continue during the first week of sickness for the reasons that it recognised that in many cases some days might elapse before the extent of the illness could be known, and in order to enable the necessary application to be made to the district hospital board. During this first week of sickness the Unemployment Board already made whatever arrangement was reasonable in the particular circumstances to enable the applicant or his representative to collect his sustenance allowance.