UNEMPLOYED RELIEF.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18703, 1 August 1932, Page 9

UNEMPLOYED RELIEF.

(To the Editor.) i Sir,—ln yo-ur Saturday’s issue “Off the Farm” has misquoted the Mayor of Hamilton .and,his reference-to the fiellef workers. The Waikato Times reported..the Mayor as saying that he had heard of one man, receiving 37s 6d a week who paid 12s 6d a week for rent -and could -still “put -a little away.” A-s a contrast to this His Worship mentioned another -man who said he received £'2 a week, was paying no rent and was practically starving. It Is only fair to His Worship to state -that he drew a comparison between two stories that had -come to his notice, I don’t think Dr. Pinfold believes that the amounts are adequate; lie was merely passing on what'he had been told to the committee. Your correspondent asks, if 18s a week is sufficient to keep a single man. Nobody, in the country, even the Prime Minister, considers ,it sufficient but it is only relief after ail and certainly, the maximum amount possible -unless the Government double the unemployment figures with -more taxation. As the -president -of /the Social Welfare League remarked the other day the country is taxed to the hilt,. “Off the Farm” should remember that apart from,the 18s the single man has most of the week to find a few odd jobs which would augment his income. If he can’t get the odd jobs there is always the single men’.-s camps which at 'least keep men from starvation.—l am, etc., RELIEFER.