THE CHARITABLE AID SCANDAL.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9834, 17 September 1897, Page 6

THE CHARITABLE AID SCANDAL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sib,—l see in to-day's paper that the poor old man White died yesterday in the Samaritan Home. 1 also read Mr Sorensen's letter in the same issue, and can fully endorse what he says. Yea, leaving the religious question out, I think it is a diegrace and shame that a place could not be found for him wherein to spend his last days without having to be brought before the Court. He would without doubt have died in Lyttelton Gaol if Sergeant-Major Ramsay had not promised to look after him until a place could be found for him. If I remember right Mrs Herrick, of Herrick's Home, refused him admittance. 1 think the public have a right to know Why she refused him. I hope that Mrs Herrick will be able to explain this matter to all the public's satisfaction. Failing to do so, I should propose to the Committee of the " Hard Times social," who are advertising that all surplus will be divided between Herrick's Home and other charitable institutions, that they strike the words " Herrick's Home " out and instead insert the Samaritan Home.— Yours, &c.j Hard Times.

VO THE EDITOR OF THB PRESS.

Sib,—Thanks should be given to Mr H. B. Soreneen for drawing public attention to the great wrong in present arrangements re Charitable Aid assistance to very needy cases, and which may, as in the case of Mr White, prove fatal after being shunted from one place to another. You also, in a leader, deal very ably with the matter, and at considerable length. Where you state of the Charitable Aid Board "we certainly think they ought to have means of giving shelter at once in urgent cases " you strike the nail that ought to be driven home. The Charitable Aid Board subscribe to the" Samaritan Home, and might be so in touch with it that there should not be any difficulty in an urgency case. But apart from this present case, which has ended so sadly, I think every urgent demand for assistance ought to be met promptly. Then if subsequent enquiry shows there is imposition deal with it as the law may direct, but immediate relief should be given to ailing and destitute persons. A few weeks ago a woman in child-bed being unable to obtain certain necessaries her doctor gave an order for them on the Charitable Aid Board, it was refused on the ground that the doctor attending her was not supplied by the Board. This noeds altering. — Yours, &c, Donald MoLenhan.