THE DOLE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 126, 24 November 1926, Page 6

THE DOLE

(To the Editor.) Sir, —As a true Britisher, and one who has been in New Zealand only one year, I have been astounded of late at some of the statements made regarding the dole by different gentlemen who have recently visited the Home Country. We had a statement made last week by a gentleman in Auckland that the dole was sapping away the working fibre of Great Britain. Why do these people make such misleading statements to the public of New Zealand? There are now thousands of people here who know the real truth, to their sorrow, of the dole treatment, but there are also thousands of New Zealanders who only know what they read in the papers, and it is for their guidance that they ought to know the real facts. The British Government docs not pay this money to the people who are unfortunate enough to be out of work. The people who are working pay heavily each week, along with their employers. There is unemployment insurance which the law compels the employer to deduct from wages. Each 4week he must put a stamp valued at Is 7d on a card—employer lOd, omployce 9d—and last year the Government made a Targo amount of money from the working class folk of Great Britain by this, and _ also the health insurance addition, which is 10d

man who is out of employment reports at the Government Labour Bureau the same day that he loses his work. If his card is in order, that is, if it shows that he lias been at work so.many weeks in. one year, lie is eligible for pay; otherwise he is not. Now for the pay: The man signs all the first week, and gets nothing. After filling up several forms ho commences pay the second week, and here is the amount he receives:—Married man,. £1 weekly; allowance to wife, if dependent on him, os weekly; for children under 14 years, Is each weekly. That is the full amount a man gets weekly. If there was space in your valuable paper to go more fully into this mattor of the dole, perhaps the people of New Zealand would bo a little enlightened oil the subject. I waa insured from the commencement of this insurance up to the time of leaving my employment to sail for New Zealand some twelve months ago, and I drew the dolo amount on one occasion only, as I was fortunate enough to bo always in employment. - But I never begrudged any unfortunate brother who. through no fault of his own, had to draw the dolo. Believe me, Mr. Editor, he would far rather have been at work, too, could he get it. It is all nonsense for these gentlemen to come back and report this about the British people. If is not' correct. The labour exchange are too keen. The British people wan1 work, and not the dole, but when- thc> have paid for it surely any reasonable person v would not begrudge them thli small amount to tide, them over their distress.—l am, etc., FAIR PLAY.