FREE MILK

Southland Times, Issue 22334, 28 May 1934, Page 7

FREE MILK

AUCKLAND RATIONS. UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD’S DECISION. (Per United Press Association). Auckland, May 26. Free rations of milk to married men who are on permanent sustenance payments will be issued in Auckland throughout the winter, according to the decision made yesterday by the Unemployment Board. Several hundreds of families will be affected by the scheme, which will start’ early next week. The supplies will range from seven to twenty-one points weekly, according to the size of the household and on the current prices, the concession in the maximum represents 4/44 weekly. The local office of the Labour Department will deal with the new scheme, and it is understood that the usual coupon method will be followed, and ration orders will be based on the number of children under sixteen years of age. The Minister of Labour (Hon. A. Hamilton) said to-day that the decision had been made because of representations that sustenance rates were inadequate to prevent hardship. The scheme should be helpful during the winter, and he was endeavouring to further the objective of increasing the consumption of milk products -within the Dominion. The Minister said that it was important to remember that there were two classes of men receiving sustenance. The first class received sustenance during the stand-down periods and the second class included three groups. There were: (a) Men over 50 years,‘whose wives received old age pensions and which had been taken off relief work in order to leave more jobs available; (b) Men over 50 who have elected to accept sustenance in lieu of relief work; (c) Men who through physical condition were unable to do pick and shovel work, and for ■whom no light work could be found. These three groups had been placed on sustenance at rates ranging from 15/weekly in the case of a man whose wife had a pension to 26/- weekly plus family allow’ances when such were warranted*