ANOMALY REMOVED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 258, 23 June 1932, Page 4

ANOMALY REMOVED

The decision of the Minister for Employment to remove one of the several existing anomalies in the unemployment system by extending the provisions for outdoor relief to the country areas, is not only timely but overdue. These provisions were made when. the Act came into operation early in the year, but the Minister has delayed two months

in applying them to the country areas. Admittedly, acute distress is more generally prevalent in the larger centres, but the withholding of any measure of relief from that large section of the unemployed outside the four cities, was entirely unjust. Mr. Coates showed a commendable frankness in recognising that injustices had been done through this system, and once again took the opportunity of stressing the depleted condition of the unemployment funds. With Mr. Coates' departure for Ottawa, the task of conveying these periodical sad tidings to the public will pass into other hands, but it appears only too evident that although Mr. Coates may not re~ main with us, the unemployed will undoubtedly do so. Hospital boards in the country areas cannot be expected to carry the burden of providing relief for the growing number of necessitous cases, and so f ar as the funds will permit, all sections of the unemployed, whether in town or country, are entitled. to equal treatment.