N.Z. SOCIAL SYSTEM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 5, 21 January 1937, Page 7

N.Z. SOCIAL SYSTEM

• Presa Asaociation. )

American Arrives to Study Our Methods UNITED STATES PROBLEMS

(By Telegraph -

AUCKLAND, Jan. 21. With the object of investigating the New Zealand Government 's methods of handling social problems, particularly unemployment, Mr Porter R. Lee, head of the New Yorlc School of Social Training, is visiting the , Dominion. t The Government has placed special facilities at his disposal. Next week Mr Lee will go to Wellington, Christchurch and possibly Dunedin. He explained to an interviewer that in America the practice had been to deal with social problems through the activities of voluntary organisations, but owing to the depression thpse problems had assumed such magnitude as to make direct Government 'action seem necessary. New Zealand's efforts to cope with the situation had been made through the Government. Since America was to follow suit it had seemed important that a study should.be made, of the situation in the Dominion. When President Roosevelt was returned to power, Mt Lee declared, he had such a majority as to establish small groups to investigate the whole problem. A report had been presented recommending the inauguration of a scheme of national social security. This included the provision of unemployment insurance, old-age pensions and infant welfare. Even those Americans who favoured a scheme of direct Government aid realised the danger of the growth of tho "sustenance" psyj ehology, which Mr Lee described as bei lief among those in receipt of aid of the right to it without working.