UNEMPLOYMENT

Southland Times, Issue 20675, 22 December 1928, Page 7

UNEMPLOYMENT

RELIEF MONEYS. A GRANT INSTEAD OF SUBSIDY. FOUR CITIES BENEFIT. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, December 21. The Prime Minister announced this afternoon that it had been decided to make the £2OOO which the Government was devoting to unemployment relief in each of the four chief cities of the Dominion a direct grant and not a subsidy to the City Councils concerned. “Upon full consideration,” said Sir Joseph Ward. “I am giving authority for the grant of £2OOO to be made to the Wellington City Council for unemployment relief purposes instead of the subsidy as previously decided upon. A condition is that the money is expended for unemployment relief and not for maintenance. The same applies to the sums for expenditure in other cities. A distinction was nfade inadvertently in favour of Christchurch in the making of a grant, and as there is no intention of showing preference, the Government thinks it is only fair that all should be treated alike.” Sir Joseph added that he was informing the Mayor 6f Wellington, who is at present out of town, of the decision, and also members of Parliament concerned.