HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 15, 19 January 1892, Page 2

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l observo some remarks made on Tuesday evening by Mr C. E. Button on the character of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act. On previous occasions other speakers, who are usually found to be speakers only, have indulged in pretty similar observations. One is at a loss to understand their meaning. Thab the9a organisations have faults, no doubb, but whab is it the opponents would wish ? That our sick, our poor, our aged and distressed follow mortals should depend on eleemosynary aid only! Surely with our Homes and Hospital we have had more than our share of unfortunates who have died or killed themselves in our streets and harbour for want of help of some kind. It is said if you want to know tho value of money try to borrow it. So with charity. If you want to know what human indifferonce and selfishness means, try to beg on the plea of poverty. You will find tho ready oxcuso that they rr-quire to learn all particulars cf the ali'airs of the applicant, certified to by some reliable person ; meantime the applicant may starve, or die I Atpresentwe ham an organisation consisting of unpaid members, who do take this trouble, and who give a large amount of their time to see thab tho money raised for charitable aid and hospital support is fairly and honestly administered. Of course, there are cases of imposition, and it is simply impossible to prevent it ; better thab there should be a few such than that deserving cases of distress should go unaided. Is Mr Button really serious when he says that what is given should be given from the heart for the love of giving ? Has ho lived so many years, not to have, I will not say a better, but a more accurate knowledge of mankind ? It is incredible thab such nonsense can find any supporters. It is easy for those who have all tho comforts of life to talk smoothly of what wo should do. Does experience teach us thab we do give in such a way, or .ire at all likely to support our sick and poor in such a manner? With tho aid we now have we do not reaoh those who need aid, as many a sad d6abh

and many a'sad household can tell, and yet our philanthropists are apparently quite content it should remain so. And this is our boasfced keeping of, the injunction, " Love thy brother as thyself ;" " Do unto others as ye would they should do unto you."—l am, etc.,

COSMOPOLITAN.