“NOT A DOLE”

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 461, 1 July 1937, Page 3

“NOT A DOLE”

SUSTENANCE PAY An Official Protest Auckland, June 30. “To say that the increased sustenance pay, granted many months ago, is more of a curse than a help to its Recipients displays a lamentable lack pf knowledge and understanding of the true position,” stated' Mr W. J. Moore, secretary of the Auckland ;District Council of the National Unemployed Workers’ Movement, today, referring to a published statement ot Mrs N. M. Molesworth. “The National Unemployed Workers Movement strong protests against such sweeping statements which include thousands of decent, law-abid-ing and self-respecting men who li'ave been forced into unemployment and are in receipt of sustenance.

“Is it a. curse,” he asks, “to receive a little extra money to meet the increased cost of living? Is it a curse or a help to be able to give a little extra to children who for years have been semi-starved? Mrs Molesworth s>ays' she has had dozens of cases of men spending theft* sustenance money on drink and gambling. She may have been told these things, but he would remind her that all the stories told her by distressed women are not true.

“Many of the women are physical end nervous wrecks from years of worry and privation, and we, as officials of the unemployed organisation, have investigated more such cases t-hlan Mrg. Molesworth is likely to have even ‘heard of, and know that a. great number of these distressed wo-

men imagine all sorts of wrong actions by their men-folk when the husbands have been entirely innocent. Sweeping Statement. “There are individual case £ - where the ar© justified, we know, but tha-t does not justify anyone making a; sweeping statement which casts a slur on thousands of decent men. “Non-negotiable coupons are recommended by Mrs Molesworth as a means of sustenance p*ayment. Has she not yet grasped' the fact that sustenance money is a pay-out on an insurance policy on which the worker, whilst in employment, ha t paid premiums by way of employment levy and wages tax? “That sustenance money is not charity; i-t is not a. ‘dole,’ but is something to which the unemployed worker is entitled a& his right (provided he is able and willing to work if work can be found for him), because he was compelled to pay his premiums to ensure him against unemployment. Money in the pocket of a sustenance man! It would be laughable were it not to tragic.” Mrs 1 . Molesworth Replies. Interviewed concerning Mr Moore’s protest, Mrs. Molesworth said that a copy of it had been sent to her. All she 'dieeired to say pußTicly in reply was contained in portion of her original comment on the position, which was: “So many of them iare fine men who .feel their position keenly. The greater percentage of them are worthy men, but there are also a lot of wasters. If there is no alternative, -the suggested coupon system would be better than allowing ;the men to squander the money.” That answered, she said, the charge of casting a slur on the general body of men on sustenance, and showed that the coupon system was suggested only as an alternative Happily, something better was under consideration.