NO MORE GRANTS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18644, 22 December 1928, Page 10

NO MORE GRANTS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.

“EVERYTHING ELSE MUST BE ON SUBSIDY BASIS,” SAYS PRIME MINISTER. (Special to the “Star.”) WELLINGTON, December 21. When Christchurch City received a prompt £2OOO from the Government for purposes of relief of unemployment before Christmas allocations of similar amounts were made by way of subsidy to Wellington, Dunedin and Auckland. The Christchurch £2OOO being a grant the other cities raised the question of getting a similar benefit, instead of having to raise money which would be subsidised to the extent of £2OOO. Sir Joseph Ward explained to-day that it has been decided to make this concession to them. The original payment to Christchurch had been inadvertently represented as a grant, the whole matter having been somewhat hurried owing to the urgency of the position, and as no attempt had been made by the Government to alter this position, it had been decided in fairness to the other cities to give them the same consideration. “But the grant system will not be continued,” added the Prime Minister. “Everything else must be on the subsidy basis. We are finding a tremendous lot of money ourselves for employment on public works at standard rates.”