EPIDEMIC RELIEF

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 121, 15 February 1919, Page 10

EPIDEMIC RELIEF

COMPLAINTS IN WELLINGTON TAINT OF CHARITABLE AID COUPONS INSTEAD OF CASH A deputation representing Labour organisations and epidemic relief committees interviewed the Minister of Publie Health yesterday afternoon, and protested against various features of the scheme of relief for widows and orphans in connection with the recent epidemic. The speakers suggested that thero had been a breach of faith on the part of tho Government in lailing to keep tho scheme of relief separate from ordinary charitable aid. Persons in need of assistance were being subjected to unreasonable delays. Tho deputation was 'introduced by Mr. P. Fraser, M.P.

Mr. M. J. Eeardon said that some of the widows did not want to go to tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for the emergency relief that had been promised them, and . they were being left without any assistance whatever. The Minister said tho understanding had been that until further organisation could be set up, tho' hospital boards would administer the temporary relief on the lines laid down by Cabinet. The Government could not give permanent relief until Parliament approved that bv legislation. Mr. ltussefl explained that it had been agreed tho Education Department should be resnonsible for orphans and the Health Department for widows with children. The Minister for Education was the responsible Minister under the Infant Life Protection Act. The Minister had been guaranteed 10s. 6d. a week for each child, increased subsequently to 15s. a week, in order to provide for the orphans created by the epidemic. The lines of relief had been laid down definitely by Cabinet, and had been explained to an earlier deputation. Mr. Eeardon said that in accordance with the Minister's instructions applications for relief had been sent to the Receiving Home, Tinakori load, hut no replies had yet been recoived. The relief committee had sent the applications also to -the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, and had found that tho applicants were treated in just the same way as ordinary applicants for charitable aid. They wore subjected to tho same critical questioning, and they woro required to take coupons instead of oasli. The people bereaved by tho epidemic felt it a hardship to be required to use charitable aid coupons, Mr. Russell That is not according to my wish, and no such instruction has been given by my Department. Mr. Eeardon expressed a hope that tho relief scheino would bo placpd on a sound legislative footing as quickly as "possible.

The Coupons. Mrs. A.itken, a member of the Wellington Hospital Board, said she did not think the wishes of tho Minister had been earned out. Tho Minister had stated that the epidemic widows and orphans ought to be treated generously and sympathetically, but tho Wellington board had resented this suggestion. Tho applications for relief were' treated by the board "on their merits," which meant that the affairs of the widow were closely investigated. The widow had to go before the Charitable Aid Committee monthly. Mrs. Aitken quoted the case of a widow with three children. Tho board paid her rent and then gavo her coupons for milk, meat, and groceries. Tho woman lived in Vivian Street, and the children were young, but the meat coupons had to bo taken to a shop in Thorndon and. the grocery coupons to another part of tho town. The suggestion was made to tho widows sometimes that they should give up their homes, put their children in institutions, and go to work themselves. This was not right. The women ought to be encouraged to maintain their homes and bring up their own children. The Minister, in reply, denied that there had been any breach of faith on his part. The lines of relief had been hid down definitely, and ho had followed them. No other complaints had reached the Government. Ho was exceedingly surprised to hear that tho Wellington board wns giving coupons instead of cash.

Mr. Eraser: Somo are getting cash and somo are getting coupons. The , Minister said ho would instruct the board to give cash in all cases. It had been tho, intention of the Government, which was providing all the money for this purpose, tliat tho grant to widow's with children should take tho form of cash payment. The Southland board and the North Canterbury board had pointed out the difficulty of treating epidemic widows differently from other widows. Ho had foreseen that difficulty, and he realised tlmt the payment of 10s. Gd. per week per child In the case of epidemic relief was establishing a basis tliat would have to ho accepted, generally. The scheme that had been put forward by tho Government meant raising the standard of relief permanently for the benefit of tho children. The primary objec.t of the schciilo was to ensure that the children who had lost parents duriug tho epidemic should have food, clothing, and homes. He could not endorse a suggestion that thero should be a universal pension for epidemic widows. There •was a practically universal pension for children bereaved by tho epidemic, but the ca?es of widows must be dealt with on their merits. Tho Government wished to give discriminating assistance. Tho widow who had no children was not brought under the special scheme, and if sho required assistance she must get it through the ordinary channels.

A Little Asperity. 'Mr. Fraser: Appeal to charity? 111'. Russell: That is a question of legislation. The people of this country can alter tho system of charitable aid if they wish. Tho system has been in operation for a long time, and cases aro being -dealt with under it every day. The Government has made .special provision for epidemic orphans. I don't want this deputation to- go away with an idea that the Labour Parly, has a. monopoly of sympathy in this" matter.

Mr. Fraser: Sometimes it looks as if it had. .

Mr. Pus,sell: It looks to me as if this position were being taken advantage of for advertising jiurposes. The National Government had spared neither effort nor expense during the epidemic. It had spent between £150,000 and £200,000, and it had prepared now a generous system of relief for tho orphans. The charitable aid system, which 1 must apply to widows without children, was a law of the country. ' He had never entirelv approved of it, and he had -often criticised the actions of the charitable aid boards He had done his best as Minister to improve the systom. But he. could not abolish it. That was a matter for Parliament. A promise had been given'that the epidemic, relief would be separated from charitable aid. The -boards had power to hand over the administration of the relief lo special committees consisting of four mciii hers of the board and three outsiders, preferably, women. The Department had asked Ihe boards to utilise their officers in making inquiries regarding the applications. He had discussed the mailer with representatives of the Wellington Board and had been told by them that beneficiaries under the Government scheme had expressed high appreciation of the manner in which thos.o entrusted with the inquiries had done their work. Special forms had teen prepared, and questions were asked as lo the financial position of the applicants. Mrs. Aitken: I don't object to that, so long as they don't try to find out 'all about tho relatives. 'Hie Minister said that relatives were liable under the Destitute Persons Act, but no suggestion had been made that the Act should bo used in connection witli ihe epidemic cases. Answering a question regarding the position of children who were earning a little money, the Minister said that he would liko to have a concrete case placed before him for a ruling. The scheme provided that the grants should bo made' up to the ago of 10 years for boys and 18 years for girls. The intention was that the young people should continue their education Tor the whole period, in conclusion, Mr. Russell repealed that he had not broken any promise, and that he was determined lo make (he scheme of reliof as good as it could bo made.