AID FOR UNEMPLOYED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21224, 2 July 1932, Page 12

AID FOR UNEMPLOYED.

RESPONSIBILITIES DEFINED. CASE OF ABLE-BODIED MEN. STATEMENT BY MR. J. S. JESSEP. [BY TELECiRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION*.] NAPIER. Friday. Interviewed regarding responsibilities of hospital boards in connection with relief for registered unemployed, Mr. J. S. Jessep, dcptity-chairmnn of the Unemployment Board, who was on his way to Wairoa, scaled to-night that, lecrally. hospital boards had no responsibility at any time to abki-bodied unemployed men. In some of t'hci larger cities, in particular, they had asirumed it to greater or lesser degree. In Wellington and Auckland, where the expenditure had been very large, shitecnients had been made recently in connection with the definition of responsibilities. "As a mat ter of fact," said Mr. Jessep, "with the exception of some slight difference of opinion as to what was or was not a modicnJly unfit man, thore was not at any time nor could there be any question as to the responsibility of hospital loan's. Definitely unemployed ablebodied men were not a charge on hospital boards unless; they assumed responsibility. By this I do noi for a moment mean to assert th;it the assistance rendered by hospital boards was not in some case>s necessary, bui: it appears to me that so long as hospital boards have no direct responsibility lt> the ratepayers and can levy all local bodies for such expenditure as they choose to make, the measure of relief they extend to anyone must be entirely at the discretion of and according to the composition of iiie various hospital boards. "The question as to what is or is not an adequate measure of relief is one upon which all authorities vary. From the Unemployment Board's point of view it can only administer to the fullest extent the funds provided for the relief of unemployment and administer those funds, so far as it is able to judge, in a manner calculated to meet the necessities ox the unemployed caused through the depression, taking into full account all the varying circumstsmceit which exist in different parts of New Zealand and the possibilities oi the unemployed being able or unable to supplement the relief allowance given by obtaining other work or olher necessities of life in their neighbourhood." BIBKKKHEAD BELIEF EFFORTS. PROPOSED CENTRAL CONTROL. The movement for centralising control o: all re'ief and welfare work at Birkenhead wai» advanced at a combined meeting of representatives of the various organisations interested. The deputy-Mayor Mr. G. 15. Kewson, presided. Recommendations were drafted to be submitted to a public meeting on Tuesday, to the eliect that a central committc-e be ! formed, the existing relief organisations i to worls aa. sub-committees under the main organisation. It was further recommended that the interests of the youthful population, particularly in respect to employment: for boys and girls leaving school, should be the special care of a separate committee. INQUIRY FROM PUKEKOHE. UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD'S REPLY. [feo:h o'fr own correspondent.] PUKEKOHE, Friday. The position in which B2 men and relief workers still subject to a stand-down week ars pluced as a result of the Auckland Hospital Board's decision regarding the granting of relief was the subject of a telegram sent by the Mayor of Pakekohe, Mr. J. Routlv, to the Unemployment Board to-day. Mr. Routiy stated that there were many men in country districts who apparently would be debarred from necessary relief and they and their dependants could not be allowed to starve. Accordingly, he asked what the board was doing to meetthe position. ; A reply received from the board stated that its decision was that B2 and C class men were she responsibility of the Hospital Boardis, except where suitable employment was available. However, some of the B2 men might be taken over by the board, the message stated. CLASSES IN TRADE SUBJECTS. ATTITUDE OF THE DEPARTMENT. [trom our own correspondent.] PUKEKOHE. Friday. ! In response to an inquiry by the princi- : pal of the Pukekohe Technical High | School, Mr. W. F. J. Munro, whether the i department would authorise the -establish- ) ment of day classes in trade subjects for i unemployed youth, irrespective of age or j sex, the- Director of Education, Mr. T. I B. Strong, has replied that, in so far i as the scheme did not involve any exS pense to {he Government, no objection I would be raised by the department, j " I may say that somewhat similar ' scheme.3 are already in operation at other | centres, notably at Christchurch, where ! instruction in agricultural, engineering, j woodwork, commercial and general courses | is given by certain of the full-time staff | at periods which can conveniently be ; fitted in with the ordinary school timej table." paid Mr. Strong. "The teachers ! concerned regard this extra work as part | oi their ordinary duties and do not reI <*eive any additions] payment for it. The j department fully appreciates the co-opera-tion of rhe teachers in seeking a solution ; of the difficult problem of unemployment ; among the youth of the Dominion." j The staff of the Pukekohe Technical j High School is prepared to co-operate | in the scheme. j TEACHERS WITHOUT WORK, | RATIONING SCHEME IN OTAGO. S j j [by TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ; DTXEDDC. Friday, j The Otago Education Board has 150 J graded teachers on its unemployment j register Under the rationing scheme | about 150 relieving teachers and addij tional assistants are employed monthly > and it is anticipated that all will rej ceive at least six months' work this year.