UNEMPLOYED

Northern Advocate, 26 October 1935, Page 8

UNEMPLOYED

RELIEF ADMINISTRATION CHARGES REFUTED. [Special fo “ Northern Advocate.”! WELLINGTON, This Day. The Minister of Employment, Hon. S. G. Smith, stoutly denied yesterday that there was maladministration in the relief of unemployment. The Minister said that in the past such charges had periodically come under his notice, but, when an investigation was made, it was found that there was no truth in the suggestion. * Inspectors of the department had minutely examined the complete operations of no fewer than 61 bureaux, covering secondary towns and small centres, while, in addition, they had reviewed the gold prospecting schemes in the South Island, and had also conducted 15 special investigations. “The official report submitted to the Unemployment Board establishes that in none of these examinations has any fraud, grave mistake, or carelessness on the part of any Government employee been revealed. Nor has there been any discrepancy in the accounting of boots, blankets or rations.” Mr Smith said that he hoped that now the position had been explained all doubt would be removed from the minds of the people as to the working of the relief administration.