CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9321, 23 January 1896, Page 3

CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Th« ordinary meeting of the Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday. Present —Messrs Weatenra (Chairman), Prndhoe, Dnnlop, P*rym»n, 0. T. Smith, Perish, Hamilton, Board, Ronnie, Chalmers and Wallace.

The Chairman aaid—Since the Board last met I have received a notification tbat Mr Johu Urigg and tho Mayor of Aehburton for the time being were elected to represent the combined couuty and borough of Ashburton. Mr Cutler lu9 resigned hi 9 scat as representative of Sydenham, as the hours of meeting are not coareniaut for htm. It is, therefore, open to the Board to appoint some person to fill the vacancy until the next annual election ; but, as it ha? beau customary to consult the wishes of any local bodies interested in similar cases before proceeding to make such an appointment, I have asked the Sydenham borough Couucil whether it had any recommendation to mako, and the roply will he read. The Ashley Uouncil authorities having suggested thac earliur notice should be given to tho several Rond Boards of the date of the annual election in future I wish to point out that the da,te is fixed by statute, namely, the fourth Wednesday in Hovembar in each year. Aβ it was necessary to utTix tho seal of the Board to a certain document last mouth, I was obliged to anticipate the Board's formal authority for doing so, the ordinary meeting in December having lapsed owiug to the date falling on Christinas Day. On the motion of Mr Parish, seconded by Mr Pkryman, it was resolved that the action of the Chairman bo approved.

The Mayor of Ashburcon waa appointed as a member of the Charitable Aid Committee, Mr John Grigg rb member of the Finance Committee, and tho two Ashburton members as members of the Ashburton Home Committee,

A letter was received from Mr Cutler resigning his seat on the Board, and from tho Sydenham Borough Council recommonding Cr. B. P. Manhire as hie successor.

It was resolved, on the motion of Mr J. T. Smith, that Cr. Manhire be elected as a member of the Board representing Sydeuhitn, in lieu of Mr Cutler, resigned.

Mr Hamilton* moved—" That Cr. Manhire bo elected as a member of the Charitable Aid Committee."

Mr Pr.ODUOK seconded the motion, which was carried.

Letters were received from the presiding officer of the Ashley County election and the Clerk to tho Oxford Road Board with reference to the notice given of the election of members.

The Chairman , pointed out that the date of the election was fixed by statute, and could not bo altered by the Board. At> there was an alteration in the divisions, the Board in the roconc elections did not know quite what effect the divisions would have, and tho Gazette only reached them a day or two before the date.

The Charitable Aid Committee reported as under:— "The register for November and December, 1895, shows a monthly average of 500 separate cases, comprising upwards ot 1700 persona in tho Board's district in receipt of outdoor relief. It is worthy of note that the personal applications to the Committee were more numerous than previously recorded. Many ablebodied mou pleaded inability to obtain sufficient work to enable thorn to avoid resort to the Board, and iuvestigatiou showed that in tho majority of oasoa tho applications were warranted. Tho harvest ia now affording temporary employment but the families have in many iustauces to be assisted to some extent until the husbands can make provision out of their earnings. The inmates of the Old People's Home, Female Refuge, and Orphanage and boarded out children, ami those maintained at Industrial Schools at tho Board's charge, bring the total number of recipients to very nearly 2000 persons, tho exact figures being 1989 for November and 1905 for December."

The report was adopted on the motion o; Mr Hamilton.

The Chairman pointed out that there had been a steady and rapid increase since 1894. The statistics showed that, taking the population at 100,000, that meant) that one in every fifty persona waa receiving relief. This waa a startling state of thing!!. With regard to the Old People's Home there was no doubt the Board would ere long have to take iuto consideration the necessity of providing additional aocouithodation for the old people. lie took this opportunity of thanking Mc Herrick for the assistance given by him to the Board, by providing shelter, &c.

Mr Dunlop said in the face ol the statistics quoted by the Chairman, he bud been told by old residents, farmers in Canterbury, . that they had nevor had such difficulty in getting labour. The Chairman said that he could corroborate what Xt Dunlop had said. A gentlemau came in from tho country and required a man to do some light work, offering food, shelter aud some money in his pocket, The gentleman came to Mr Norris and selected a man in the Armagh street Depot. But the man did not go aud he (the Chairman), fiuding that the man, who was able to do the work, had refused to go, told him ho must leave the depot.

Mr PiiUDUOis said that when the Memorial Homa was built tho Board intended to build a second octagon when the necessity arose. He thought the time had now arrived, aud the Board ought to take some action. The ectagon would provide accommodation for twenty-five persons, and he thought the matter ought to be referred to one of the Committees. : .

The Chairman said that it was all very well for them to talk about the necessity of providing accommodation, but where was the money to come from? Until the Legislature gave Boards power to levy a rate for building purposes they would always find themselves face to face with the same difficulty they were now in. Mr Ch.vi.mkrs pointed out that the Board had plenty of accommodation for old people in the Orphanage iv Lyttelton. Why should not tho Board utilise that building ? Mr Paris[i quite agreed with Mr Chalmere. Why they had not used the Orphanage he could never understand. Mr Donlop, hoped the Board would not build another octagon at the Memorial Home. He thought the Orphanage;would make an excellent home for old women. There would not be any expense to the Board.

Mr J. T. Smith would be glad that the Board should be able to use the building. It was thrust on to the Board to maintain the Orphanage and there were legal difficulties in the way. The Government were not disposed to help thorn, though they had been applied to. The Chairman said the matter of the Orphanage had been considered and they had been advised that there was a legal difficulty in'the way. A part of the building might be utilised for the purpose of housing the old women, and if there were not legal difficulties in the way he should be plftd to see the building utilised. Mr Parish thought there wonid be no difficulty at all in putting some of the old women there so long as they kept the children there.

Mr CiiAUiEBS moved —" That the matter of utilising a portion of the Orphanage as an Old Women's Home be referred to the Institutions Committee to report to the Board." Mr DcrjJLOP seconded the motion, which was carried. The TitEASURER reported the receipt of various aumji. The Board thea adjourned.