CHARITABLE BELIEF

Hokitika Guardian, 23 March 1922, Page 3

CHARITABLE BELIEF

ITS RELATION TO UNEMPLOYMENT.

RULING BY THE DEPARTMENT

On eof the hospital boards wrote recently to tlie Health Department asking for guidance in connection with the relief of unemployment. The letter and the official reply are published in the “Journal of Health” for the information of New Zealand hospital hoards generally. The two documents arc as follows:

“To the Secretary, Health Department. . for sonic time, past, owing to the unemployment that prevails ip our town as elsewhere, considerable applications have been received hy this hoard for assistance. At the meeting of the hoard I was directed to ask your Department for some definition of the line of demarcation between outdoor relief and assistance for the unemployed. My board would, dike some definite line from you as to how far the words ‘social welfare’ or ‘charitable aid’ apply, and as to whether we are to assist those who are suffering at the present time from lack of employment. There has been a considerable. increase in the outdoor relief this year—in fact, it lias iiicieased to an alarming extent—and it is for this reason the board would like somje clear line upon which to work. Is each case applying for assistance to be helped on its own merit, no matter from what cause the poverty may result, or is there to he some line drawn somewhere ?” “To the Secretary, Hospital Board. “With reference to your letter I have to .state there is no line of demarcation between the outdoor relief and assistance for the unemployed. It is the function of your board to assist those who are in need. The mere giving of relief, however, is tantamount to treating the symptom and ignoring the complaint. Something more than this is required, and the cause of the distress should also he sought, and steps should ho taken as far as possible to remove it. This is what is known as ‘preventive charity’, and in individual cases it should always receive attention— i.e., the breadwinner may be labouring under some defect or disability, either apparent or obscure, which may be removable, and so, instead of becoming a burden on the community, he may eventually become able to support himself and his dependents. “In the case, however of widespread unemployment the causes are beyond the control of the hoard, and the permanent economic conditions outside its sphere. The board, therefore, can do little more than use every effort to* find employment even of a temporary nature for those able-bodied persons whose distress is caused by lack of employment and who are seeking work. It. therefore, should ’get into close touch with all avenues of employment, including the municipality, the district engineer, the Labour Department etc., .with a view to finding work fo r as many applicants as possible. At the same time, every case must be assisted on its merits. Unemployment can certainly. not be held to be* a reason Rn with-holding relief.”