UNEMPLOYED RELIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20978, 15 September 1931, Page 11

UNEMPLOYED RELIEF.

INADEQUACY OF GRANTS. HARDSHIP IN ELLERSLIE. Owing to the inadequacy of tho Unemployment Board's grant, it lias been found necessary to curtail relief measures in the Ellerslie town district. A reply to representations made to the Hon. S. G. Smith, Minister of Labour and chairman of tho hoard, was received at a meeting of the iovvn Board, which had sent a telegram to tho Minister stating that, the, workers were extremely dissatisfied and that the position of many families was desperate. A supplementary grant was requested. In his reply the Minister stated that, owing to the paucity of funds, no increase could he made in tho allocations to Ellerslie. He suggested that the best use should be made of the grants in providing for the most necessitous cases among the eligible, workers. ] t was reported that there were 140 men on the Town Board's list, including 105 married men. The grants lately had averaged only U126 a week, and for this week the allocation was .1124, mi that it would he necessary to cut down each worker's time, by one day. A total of 98 would be employed for tho week, all being married except six. 11, was decided to discontinue the employment of any workers living outside the town district.