Social Welfare downgrading draws protest

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 383, 23 April 1991, Page 1

Social Welfare downgrading draws protest

A group of concerned people calling themselves Social Services Action Group (SSAG) have called a public meeting to protest the proposed downgrading of the Department of Social Welfare offices in Taihape.

The Taihape office which services the Central Plateau region from Raetihi to Hunterville is being downgraded to an 'applications office' for benefit applications only, under the restructuring of the Department of Social Welfare. There is a move by the Taumarunui office to service the Ohakune and Raetihi area but at this stage it is unclear if the services will be provided from T aumarunui or Wanganui. Waimarino people will not notice as big an effect as those in the Taihape area as at present a person from the benefit section only visits Ohakune and Raetihi once a fortnight.

However if a person on a benefit, whether it be a domestic purposes, unemployment, training, guaranteed retirement or any other, has a problem it may mean travelling to Wanganui or Taumarunui to 'sort things out' rather than to T aihape as at present. There is also a weekly visit from a social worker and a cultural officer two days a week. With the restructuring there is the likelihood of there being only one basic grade social worker instead of the present three to service the whole of the Taihape area and which office they will work out of is still unclear. The work load for these social Turnpage 2

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From page 1 to be the many items dumped into the pit when the age of steam ended. Mr Norling said they expect to find all sorts of pieces of equipment buried in the pit related to the old steam days, which would be useful for the group's museum. This project is now number one priority for the group, followed by the reinstatement of a water tower in the rail yards and a railway signal box for the static display which is to become a permanent feature at the Junction. In reviewing the success of the recent Easter steam train visit the PORS group wished to thank especially the two market gardeners Ray Wilson and Frank Taylor for the donation and labour involved in preparing 150 bags of carrots which were "enthusiastically" received by the rail visitors