PROVIDING RELIEF

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1932, Page 5

PROVIDING RELIEF

HOSPITALS OBJECT iv_. TO PRESENT ADMINISTRATION. (Per Press Association — Copyright.) CHRISTCHURCH. June. 29. ’ “If any Hospital Board administered relief in the .same way as the. Unemployment Board is doing, it would be .[bankrupt in a few months The Unemployment Board seems to have undertaken...the. work without consulting any Hospital Board for its advice, although the Hospital Boards have had years cf such experience. ~ The foregoing statement was made by the Secretary of the North Canterbury Hospital Board, Air W. S. Wharton when asked what was the attitude of the Board on the rations question.

Mr Wharton said that, during the Conference of Hospitals Boards in Wellington recently, an endeavour was made to get the Chairman of the Unemployment Board to give a definite statement as to the Board’s intentions concerning the issue of rations to employable men, but, up to,the present, no such statement bad been forthcoming. It was boned that, as the result of the attitude being taken up by the Auckland Board and other Boards..the Unemployment Board would be forced into the operand made to declare what exactly it intended to do.

RELIEF TO ABLE BODIED MEN. DISCONTINUING IN WELLINGTON , WELLINGTON, June 29. “We have already practically discontinued the granting of relief to able-bodied workless men,” said Mr F. Castle, Chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board, vfrhen interviewed this evening. ' “Briefly,” he said, “the position j ie .re is that, where the Government has completed its machinery for providing complete relief, we have stopped issuing rations. It has not quite completed arrangements at Lower Hutt, but so far as we are concerned, the issuing of rations will cease to-morrow.” ‘'“A point of difference has arisen—as to when a. man is fit. We are m touch with the Board regarding the class known as B2 men, who are borderline cases. We consider the Board should accept this’ responsibility. The question has not quite been settled.”

ISSUING OF RATIONS.

AUCKLAND, June 29

A crisis appears to.be developing iil'regard to tire issue of'rations by Hospital Boards. To bring the matter t 0 u head the Chairman (Mr Wallace) has circularised all Boards suggesting from to-morrow, no further assistance be given to any employable man, inari rind' or single. It is suggested that tho prime Minister should take up the matter with the Unemployment 'Board.