RELIEF FOR THE UNEMPLOYED

Southland Times, Issue 22949, 23 July 1936, Page 5

RELIEF FOR THE UNEMPLOYED

British Measures NEW PROVISIONS FOR RENT (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Rugby, July 21. The important three-day debate by the House of Comnions on the draft unemployment assistance regulations was opened by the Minister of Labour (Mr Ernest Brown) who moved thenapproval. , The draft regulations arc the second to be issued under the 1934 Act setting up a new administration of unemployment assistance for those who have exhausted the insurance benefit. The first draft regulations were partially suspended 18 months ago as a lesult of general criticism in all parts of the House of Commons. The new regulations, if approved, will come into effect on November. Mr Brown claimed that the proposals' formed a sound and just foundation for the solution of a great social problem, and involved defending the household means test. He said that if the relief of unemployment was to be a _ charge upon the national Exchequer it was only common justice to all who paid taxes, including the ordinary man in work, to see to it that the proceeds of their industry were not wantonly and needlessly frittered away. The Minister drew the attention of the House to provisions for the more flexible application of the rules about allowances for rent, and for the association of local advisory committees with cases —of which there were many —in which discretionary adjustments of payments were permitted. Mr Brown taunted the Opposition with the failure of an attempt which he alleged on their } art to stir up agitation in the country against the regulations. Mr Arthur Greenwood, moving an amendment for the Labour Party condemning the regulations, declared his party’s unalterable objection to the household means test.