RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21225, 4 July 1932, Page 7

RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYED.

REPLY TO MRt J. :3. JESSEP, POSITION OF HOSPITAL BOARDS. -AID FOR FIT MEN. Surprise 0 the statement of Mr. J. S. Jessep, ployment Board, that hospital boards bad never been legally responsible for ablebodied unemployed, but bad assumed it of their own volition, was expressed yesterday by Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of tho Auckland Hospital Board. Mr. Wallace said he could not understand Mr. Jessep's statement, in view of the fact that he had been present when a deputation from the executive of the Hospital Boards' Association waited on tho Prime Minister, the lib. Hon. G. ■W. Forbes, and the Minister of Employment, the lit... Hon. J„ G. Coates,- last January, and had heard Mr. Coate:i ask the hospital boards' representatives to bridge tho gap for another five or six weeks until he got his scheme into operation. "It is well known that hospital boards were forced by the Government to accept responsibility for the unemployed," Mr. Wallace said. It might be assumed from Mr. Jessep's statement that hospital boards had been pleased to accept the responsibility, whereas they had been pointing out for years that it should be a .charge on the exchequer. A similar opinion was expressed by Mr. W. K. Howitt, chairman of the Relief Committee of the Auckland Hospital Board. He said Mr. Coates had always realised that the function of hospital boards was to deal with the aged, sick and indigent poor. For years boards had been endeavouring to obtain relief from a 'drain on their finances which had never been contemplated by tho Act nnder which they worked. FINDING WORK FOE YOUTHS. HENDERSON COMMITTEE FORMED. A meeting of Henderson residents was held in the Town Hall for the purpose of appointing a committee to deal with the problem, of the unemployed, youth in the district. A preliminary meeting of young men was addressed by the-town clerk, Mr. E. Greenslade, ' who suggested that they should form a club among themselves arid engage in different forms of education, such as public speaking book-keeping and woodwork. Mr. A. "W. "Busseji chairman of the Town Board, also addressed the young, men. It was agreed to form a Young Men's Club, Mr. W. T. Leighton being elected president, Mr.' W. Schramm chairman' and Mr. D. Haigh secretary.

Mr. Leighton presided at 'the meetirig of parents and residents. The ministers of the Catholic, Methodist, Anglican and Presbyterian churches we*e present.

Father Colgan suggested that a bureau should be set up where the boys cou'ld register, ancl then the committee would do all it could to find suitable employment for thert». * :

. Th& Rev. >J. H; Cable -suggested that the. Town Board's land should be used for growing vegetables, etc. - Even if the boys chopped .wood and procured a truck and took if into town to sell ihev would have some means of getting a little remuneration for themselves.

After the suggestions of parents had been heard the following committee was elected^—Mesdames Bussey, Bond, Walsh and Rountree, and Messrs. Bussey (chairman), Greenslade (secretary), Thomas Paltridge, Brooks, Holt, H. Wright, Haythornthwaiie. Cobban, Rountree and Leighton. The ministers present are to act as members ex officio, and sub-com-mittees are to be appointed later.