FEARS THAT WORKLESS ARMY WILL INCREASE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6886, 16 April 1929, Page 2

FEARS THAT WORKLESS ARMY WILL INCREASE

Hospital Board Anxiety GOVERNMENT SHOULD MEET SITUATION The possibility of a big demand being made upon the charitable aid funds of the Palmerston North Hospital Board this winter was mentioned at yestei* day’s meeting of the Board,"when it was decided to protest to the Government against boards having to meet charitable aid relief caused by unemployment. , . The secretary (Mr A. J: Phillipps) pointed out that charitable . aid expenditure was increasing faster than other sections of the board’s expenditure. The recent conference of- hospital boards in Palmerston North carried a resolution to the effect that the providing of charitable relief for: employable workers was a function of the State and was an unfair tax on -the local bodies. “Whether the Government will take any action in this matter-jor not remains to be seen, but it is opportune to point out here,” said the secretary. * ‘ that. the official statisics show that a total of 23,254 persons assisted by hospital boards for the year ended March 31, 1928, 10698 of these were either employable persons or their dependants. In other words the increase in charitable aid in New; ,Zealand can be shown to be due almost entirely to tho growth of unemployment, The position as far a,s the Palmerston North board is concerned is no more acute than it was at this time last year, .and in placing the estimate for The coming year at £4,500, I think that this should be sufficient to meet our needs.. It is, of course, to bo remembered that: in the event of any of the public works in this district ceasing, it is likely that there will be an immediate demandvon cur charitable relief funds.” District Nursing: Estimate last year: £400; actual payments: £387 -17 s 4d; proposed estimate, £4OO. ; >;■ The acting-chairman (Mr J. A. Nash M.P.) endorsed the secretary’s ; statement that the growth in charitable aid had been almost entirely brought about by relief given to able-bodied men. t Mr J. K. Hornblow thought it manifestly unfair that boards should/be compelled to make a levy on the ratepayers to meet unemployment, %nd something should be, done. He urged pressure being brought -to bear on .-the Government with the object of getting a special grant. Something like £IOOO had been spent by the Palmerston North board alone last year and really that money should have gone onlw to the indigent poor, j Instead they. had been called upon to help able-bodied men. Mr Nash said he didn’t anticipate the unemployed position getting better. He was afraid it would get worse. Members: It looks like it, Mr Hornblow moved that the Minister be written to in protest. The Palmerston North board was not situated like the Auckland and other \ r boards which derived revenue from endowments. The Government stated that they were going to do away with. unemployment but instead Of doing that, tho boards, it seemed, would be saddled with the burden agpin. Mr F. J. Ryder seconded Mr Hornblow’s motion. The longer the board carried on the worse the position would become.

Mr F. Pycroft supported the' protest. Mr J. A. Nash stated that he had re- i cently wired the department asking if in could place from four to six men in employment, and the "reply received Had been that work was not available. There were 210 men at the deviation, and if work stopped there a large number of men who had their homes and families in Palmerston North, would berlooking for work. How could those men'be transferred to the South Island or East Coast, It would be impossible for them to keep two homes going. The motion was carried.