INMATES OF HOMES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12477, 12 April 1906, Page 4

INMATES OF HOMES.

POCKET MONEY TO BE GIVEN.

At the meeting of the Charitable Aid Board j-esterday, Mr Harper, pursuant to notice, moved—*' That tihe resolution in force enabling pensioners to collect a manfchJy instalment on leaving the Tuarangi Home at the end of bhe month, ba rescinded." Ho pointed out that the system was tried as an experiment, but tho privilege had been ahueed. Those who were now in the tome were physioaiJly unable to leave the home, as those who could go out had done co, and arranged to live on their penaion. In that resipect the system had answered, but in the other way it wae not desirable.

Mr F. Horrell seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Mr Harper then moved—"That tho inmates of Tuarangi Home Iβ allowed oue chilling per week pocket-money" There had been a sort of «, threat held over their heads at tho last meeting of the Board that if they did not give the pensioners one shilling a week back the Government would interfere. If the pensioners only got the shilling a week they would create a class distinction in the Home. Therefore, he was in favour of all having the shilling. Mr Radcliife seconded the motion, and suggested that all the homes under the control of the Board were included. Would Mr Harper do th»P Mr Harper: No. Idp nob wwh to interfere with any other institution except the one I am chairman, of. Mr Cooper said he would move a resolution, to that effect.

Mr RadoMffe sadd thai lie thought the Board were entitled to give everyone in the institutions this small concession.

Mr Cooper was strongly in favour of mc resolution a* proposed, «nd moved as an amendment that the inmates of the Jubilee Home be included in the grant of one shilling per week. Mr Wolfe seconded the amendment, as he thought all the inmates should be treated alike.

Horrell opposed the resolution. It meant simply the increase of the pension to lls a week. Aβ to the Government forcing them to grant the shilling a week, let the Board wait till they were forced. What could the old men in Ashburton do with their billing a week? They could not go oat ana! get drunk on it, because there were no public-houses there. The Chairman: There are more private places in Ashburton than there were publio-housee. Mr. Horreji:; would oppose the resolution, as he thought it was a mistake. Mr Dobson argued that the Scotch publishers, W. and R. Chambers, had lived and educated themselves on 2s 6d per week. He asserted that if the members of the Board sent oat their private accounts, they would find that it did not cost Is lid per day for food. Mrs Wells: What food do you refer to, Mr DobsonP . Mr Dobson: Porridge. Mr McMillan opposed giving the old men money. He would not mind giving them tobacco. He was not in favour of the resolution.

Mr Wolfe would rote against the resolution, as lie thought it was a mistake. Mrs Wells pointed oat that from bequests, etc., the cost of the old men on the consolidated revenue was very much reduced. They did not oast 5s per week. Mr Bedford thought they should consider that there were persons in the Kotae who deserved .this concession, and because there were some that were not, he thought they should not be hard. Therefore he should vote for the resolution.

Mrs' Black was strongly in favour of the proposal, which she thought we» a step in the right direction". Mr Harris, though ho , bad been opposed to the giving of money to the old men, had now some miegivinaß that this was a mistake, but he would Hot vote for the motion unless the concessions of tobacco, etc.. were withdrawn.

The Chairmen said that he had consistently opposed the return of any money to the old age pensioners, because it cost the Board! fully 10s per week to keep them. Again, the Premier had said, in moving the increase of the old ago pension, that the reason •was the increase in the cost of living. Well, that applied to the Board as well. Hβ was going to support the notion of Mr Harper, because if they did net give the shilling, they would find that the Government would introduce a .Bill at the next session to compel them to do co. If the people returned members who would support the Government, who would bring down a Bill to force them to pay the shilling a week, then they must pay the foiper. Mr Cooper askea how it we* thect the Southland old men were kept aad clothed at ft less sum than the Canterbury Board paid. The Chairman said that the cost was 10s per week to the Board here. ' Mrs Wells asked whether the bequests, etc., were not given for the benefit of the old people. The Chairman said bequests were made to the ratepayers to dispense m charity. Old age pensioners could not have been considered, because the bequests were made before the old age pensions werei introduced. As a matter of fact, the homes were for people who had no home and no money, sijd not for old age pensioners. According to Mr Dobsou, who said he could live «si Is lid per Any (Mr Dobsou: "It don't cost mc half that"), these people xtbo had old age pensions could live outride. Mr Harper, in reply, said his roiwon for moving the resolution was that there should be no distinction, ana ns the Chairman had said th«y would be forced to do it, though he wee opposed to giving the old men money. He would not have moved in the matter had there been public-house* in Ashbarton. Though there were plenty of ode quiet places, the shilling per week wouML not go far in fbem. The amendment moved by Mr Cooper was then put and agreed to, the alteration to take effect from Ma; Ist-