SUSTENANCE CLAUSE

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 64, 9 March 1933, Page 5

SUSTENANCE CLAUSE

OF UNEMPLOYMENT ACT WORKLESS SEEK FULL EFFECT A largely attended meeting of unemployed men who are receiving sustenance instead of work was held in Christchurch recently, and for several hours steps which should be taken to secure more relief were discussed. “Realising the utter failure of the relief of unemployment schemes as shown by the fact that 700 men aie now unable to get employment and have to exist on 50 per cent, sustenance,” the meeting decided to demand that relief work be abolished and the sustenance clause of the original Unemployment Act be immediately put into effect. It was further resolved: “That this meeting of unemployed men, who are suffering the worst effects of the reduction in relief pay, calls on the newly-formed Unemployed Workers’ Association to organise a mass protest as rapidly as possible. We strongly condemn the action of the unemployment bureau in deducting the February levy from the meagre sustenance payments of men standing down, the impounding of levy books by local bodies, and the forcing of the unemployed to give orders on their wages for the payment of rent.”