NO RATIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 493, 30 June 1932, Page 4

NO RATIONS.

DECISION OF HOSPITAL BOARDS. Lack of Funds to Carry On. HITCH IN UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF. After to-day, hospital boards will stop the issue of rations to employable workless men, as they have no funds with which to carry on. A serious position has thus arisen and the intervention of the Prime Minister in the discussion > between the hospital boards and the Unemployment Board is suggested. The case was explained 'by the chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. (Mr H. J. Otley). “For a long time,’’ he said, “ there has been a general feeling that the issue of rations to the unemployed is outside the province of the hospital boards. We are, however, continuing our ordinary charitable aid work. “We have fulfilled our part of the contract,” said Mr Otley, “and as the Unemployment Board has collected all fche money for unemployment purposes. ! they should take over the responsi- j [bility. The real truth of the matter is i jthat we can’t go on issuing rations to J jail and sundry as we hav.e not got the j funds to do it.” A grave view Is taken by the presi- i iient of the Hospital Boards Associa-1 ;tion, Mr W. Wallace, of Auckland. Following his visit to Wellington last ; week Mr Wallace, as president of the J ( association, authorised a circular in the , ‘ following terms to be forwarded to every hospital board in New Zealand. , and also to the Unemployment Board: “Every effort has been made to obtain 1 a definite answer from the Unemploy- J ment Board to the resolutions of our | conference, but without success. The 1 position in this respect is quite unsatis- ‘ factory, and it is essential that in order j to bring the matter to an issue hospital ! boards should definitely abandon giv- j ing assistance after June 30 to any em- t ployable men, married or single, who 1 are fit for any class of work whatever. ] The Minister of Health has been ] acquainted with this decision, and he * concurs in the view that fit men are } definitely the responsibility of the Un- t employment Board and not of hos- 0 pital boards.” Unsatisfactory Attitude. Commenting yesterday on the de- ; 1 cision, Mr Wallace said that at the i beginning of the current financial year boards were instructed by the Health ; Department to provide foi unemploy- , ment relief for the first three months I of the year. " Boards budgeted ; i in accordance with that ins true* i J M-

tion, and consequently no funds have been provided for any unemployment relief after June 30. The attitude of the Unemployment Board towards any overtures made by hospital j boards has been entirely unsatisfactory, j and no definite statement has been forthcoming. Mr Wallace emphasised that in con- : sequence of the attitude of the Unem- i ployment Board hospital boards were icrced into the position of bringing the whole matter to an issue. Classification of Men. \\ hen interviewed regarding the action of the Hospital Boards’ Association, Mr P. R. Climie, a member of ; the Unemployment Board, said that when he left Wellington on Friday ; evening arrangements were being made for representatives of the Wellington Hospital Board to confer with the I Unemployment Board regarding the ! classification of single men. The Unemployment Board, he said, fully realised the necessity of reaching an understanding with the hospital boards and was prepared to negotiate with them. The Wellington Hospital Board had suggested four or five classes for single men and the question to decide was which classes should be a charge on the Unemployment Board and which classes the hospital boards should assume the responsibility for. It was hoped to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion within the next few days.