COUNTRY RELIEF RATES

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1933, Page 3

COUNTRY RELIEF RATES

GOVERNMENT PARTY IREBEL TALK OF NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION. FOREMOST TOPIC IN DEBATES. AWKWARD “DISCRIMINATION.” (Daily News Parliamentary Reporter). Wellington, Aug. 16. One or two rural members who have visited Wellington during the past week have expressed dissatisfaction with the Unemployment Board’s policy of relief for country districts. They assert that the towns and cities are receiving more than their share of the allocations and that the men in the country are receiving substantially less per head than the unemployed in urban areas. One North Island member has stated that he intends to raise the matter in the House and he states that if he does not obtain what he considers a satisfactory reply he will make the matter one of no-confidence. As in past years, there is no doubt that unemployment will be a foremost topic in the address in Reply and financial debates, and a no-confid-ence motion on the question from the Government benches would complicate the position. These “rebels” often talk more hotly m the lobbies than they do in the House, but in this instance there would appear to be legitimate grounds for complaint. There is no doubt that the cities have been able to make better bargains with the Unemployment Board than have some of the country districts at least, and the apparent discrimination may make things awkward for the Minister of Labour (the Hon. A. Hamilton), who is chairman of the board. It is stated in defence of the board that the men in the towns find it more difficult to obtain extra work and that their costs, such as rent, are Jiigher than in the country. The members of the board assert that, after taking all factors into consideration, they are administrating the funds as equitably as possible.