CHARITABLE AID.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 144, 18 June 1915, Page 6

CHARITABLE AID.

COURT MAINTENANCE ORDERS.

HOW THEY SHOULD BE ENFORCED,

Mr. C. C. Kettle. S.M., referred at ths Magistrate's Court this morning to the. conTmenU made at the nucing of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board this week, upon his remarks re people getting assistance who should 1»- maintained by near relative*. His Wor-iiip said-. 'My attention has been called to a report in the'loeaj papers of the remarks of some of the members of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board at a recent meeting of the Board regarding a maintenance case heard before mc some d.i; T » atrn. The complainant in the case referred to claimed, in 1906. a maintenance order against the father of her illegitimate child, and she had applied to have, the amount increased. She married after the order was made, and had three other children. Her husband, who is liable to support the family, including the illegitimate child, had neglected bus duty, and his "iie and children were in want. The complainant, in answer to a question put by- mc to her. stated that her husband 'was drinking to excess, had failed without reasonable excuse to maintain her and her clrldren. and that she had at times been compelled to apply to the Charitable Aid Board for relief. At my request, the Acting Relieving Officer of the Board attended the Oourt and explained the position. He stated that the complainant and tihe three legitimate children hid on occasions received aid from the Board. I expressed the opinion that it wa.3 a scanda.lous state of affairs, ami that steps should be taken to compel the father to do hie duty to his family. I did not in any wav question the decision of the Board to sive clmritab'e aid to destitute children. It frequently happens that married women and destitute persons, instead of tak-ns steps to obtain maintenance from their husbands and near relatives- who are able to contribute towards their support, apply to the Board for charitable aid."

"Atrain. when maintenance orders are made by the magistrates the defendant? very often do not comply with them, and no stens are ttiken by the destitute persons in whose favour orders were, made to bring the offenders bofore the Court to show eatrse why they should not be punished for disobedience of the orders. The result is that the taxpayer is very frequently called on to contribute towards the support of married women and destitute persons whose husbands and near relatives are quite able to support them, but neglect to do so. With a view of altering this very unsatisfactory state of affairs, the city magistrates communicated with the Board in July, 1913, suggesting that an officer of the Board should be appointed in July, 1913, and recommended that an officer of the Board should be appointed to enforce payment of, receive, and disburse, all moneys payable under maintenance orders, and to see that the payments under the orders did not get into arrears."

His Worship read a letter sent by Mr. C. A. Barton, clerk of ctie court, to the chairman and members of the Charitable Aid Board dated July 10th, 1913. This stated that: "In consequence of the neglect, and often inability, of many women and children in who»e favour maintenance orders are made under the Act, the money in very many cases was never recovered, the result being that people who ought to be supported by their near relatives ha.Te to appeal to the Board for relief and a-ssistance. Tha magistrate suggested, therefore, that the maintenance money payable under all orders made in the Court should be received and disbursed at the Board's office; also that an officer should be appointed by the Board to see that payments by defendants were strictly enforced and not allowed to get into arrears."

The letter continued/ The magistrates are convinced that under tho present system a very large sum of money that should be available for the maintenance of destitute women and children is being lost, thus causing greater demands on the funds of your Board."

The reply received was as follows:—"I am directed to say that the Board cannot see its way to undertake the duty of collecting moneys payable under orders of the Court."

The Society for the Protection of Women and Children also wrote stating that it could not undertake the work of collecting and disbursing the money under orders of the Court.

"I may mention," the magistrate concluded, -that I have seen the chairman of the Board (Mr. Coyle), who agrees with the magistrates that there is an urgent necessity for the suggested appointment, but he seems to think that the work should not be undertaken by an officer of the Board. I may add that I have also laid the position before the Society for the Protection of Women nnd children. lam satisfied that the remarks made by some members of the Board (to which it i s not necessary for mc to refer) w.-re made in ignorance of bhe true facts of the case."

Mr. Jones (officer of the Charitable Aid Board) arrived in Court after the remarks, and explained to his Worship he had been occupied in tl»e lower court. He wished to state the Board was quite satisfied with any actions done by it. Mr. Kettle t I did not suggest for one moment that the Board was not perfectly justified in giving relief to these unfortunate children. What the magistrates want is that there should be some person whose duty it should be to see that the orders are carried out. Mr. Jones: I would just like to explain Mr. Kettle: I am not going to discuss it any further. Mr. Jones t But I just want to explain, your Worship. Mr. Kettle: You have no status iv this tom t. Mr. Jones: I wa .-, no t present when your Wo-ship made your statement. When the Board sees a copy of the report it will know what to do". Mr. Kettle: Very well, that is so