THE SOUTHERN CROSS. Friday, May 8, 1857.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIV, Issue 1029, 8 May 1857, Page 2

THE SOUTHERN CROSS. Friday, May 8, 1857.

LUCEO NON TJRO. "If I have been extinguished, yet there rise A thousand beacons from the spark I bore"

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CHARITIES.

There is but one opinion among those best qualified to judge> — that the coming winter will see more distress among the poorer classes than has been yet known in this province. We do not mean to say that there ever has been much ; for that finds place, for the most part, only in crowded -communities, in a highly advanced, though artificial state of civilization. The extremes of luxury and destitution go hand in hand. Moreover, in thickly populated cities distress lies hidden from the eyes of those who do not seek it out ; it is heard of, but not seen ; and there are many who hear with indifference, or rather perhaps with carelessness, who give freely enough when pained by want obtruded on their sight. Segnius irritant animam demiisa per aures, Quam quae sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus. — But it is our firm impression that want, this winter, will be very much on the increase. We purposely avoid giving our views as to the cause of it, or saying auything that by the remotest construction might be distorted into the semblance of party feeling. Our desire is to combiue all parties in the carrying out of an object that should be common to all, — to induce the well disposed to bear a hand in making timely provision against the pinching day. There is no lack of charitable feeling in this community : bitter in enmity, .unsparing in recrimination, our citizens have always shewn themselves "cheerful givers." The fault up to the present time, has been want of system, and of combined action. Those recipients of charity who complain the loudest — the most unbashful, receive the most to the injury of those who sorrow in secret. We have even reason to think that assistance has been sometimes undeservedly bestowed. There are three main sources of charity in this province; — The Government rations, voted by

Council for the relief of , the sick and destitute \ the fund at the disposal of the ministers of the different religious denominations, deiived from the Offertories, or other corresponding modes of contribution j and private charity. This last has been partially oiganised within itself, but has not yot beeu connected with the other two. The three are as yet independent of each other, the operations of each being consequently unknown to the rest. It is sot impossible that an idle and artful claimant should receive assistance from all the three at once. The apportionment of the Government rations is in a very unsatisfactory state, being guided by no fixity of rule. The general practice of the late Government, — we presume of the present also — before ordering a, ration, was to require the recommendation of a minister, and to order enquiry by the Inspector of Police. But the applications were the cause of great trouble and loss of time in the Superintendent's office, nor could the Government ever feel sure that the distribution was effected to the best advantage. They would have been very glad to be relieved of the charge ; and we have no reason to doubt that their successors would be equally willing to be disembarrassed. I We would suggest, subject to the proposal of an ',• better plan, the formation of some independent, yet responsible board, by which all the three , sources of contribution should be directed into the I { right channel; aboard upon which representatives j of all the religious bodies should sit, together with persons of known and active philanthropy j' with a man of business, perhaps the Inspector of Police, to guide and direct their operations. We oan see no better mode of consolidating the public charities, of ensuring provision for the really destitute, and of effectively removing temptation to fraud. For fraud is absolutely invited, under the present system, by the administration of charities irrespectively of each other. But such a board as this might do more than apportion temporary relief. It might in many .instances' afford permanent relicf — the truest and best relief, j by aiding and inciting applicants to place themselves above the necessity of coming back again for alms. They might proceed upon the Aide toijSfc* Giel Vaidera principle; they might bring many out of trouble by steadily urging and encouraging them to put shoulder to the wheel. The very consciousness of being observed, would elicit the energies of not a few. The rule of the board in apportioning relief, should be made, we think, as strict and as inflexible as possible. For the board would -be to a certain extent official. Where any relaxation should be needed, the Benevolent Association, lately formed, might be invited to take charge of the case. For we are far from proposing to supersede so excellent a private association by a public board ; we merely desire that the one should have full knowledge of the proceedings of the other, and that the machinery for combination of purpose should be provided. Let them be so linked that they may pull together, instead of wasting strength by dragging opposite ways. The main difficulty would be to combine the relief afforded from Government funds with that derived by ministers from funds placed at their especial disposal. We believe that this end might be accomplished by requiring the minister, when applying for Government relief on behalf of a destitute person, to guarantee, say one-third, of the amount required from the sources at his disposal. For instance, we are informed of a case in which three orphan children are maintained by a respectable housekeeper, at the rate, we believe, of £20 a year each, the religious body to which they belong guaranteeing to make up to her the deficiency, according to the variation of the Government rations. The average of this deficiency has been one-third ; but may be expected to be greater. Such guarantee would also have the additional advantage of checking anything like competition among ministers — not at all unnatural for such a purpose — as to which should secure the largest proportional amount of aid from the board for his own particular congregation. Connected with this subject is another, which we take opportunity of adverting to- Much more is needed, in the shape of public works, than the province can well afford ; but we think that a point should be strained, if possible, in building an Asylum for the incurably diseased who are also without friends of relatives. Several have been maintained for a long period in the public Hospital. But this is diverting that institution from its proper functions, one of the most important of which is, to make immediate provision for cases of accident. Yet if the beds be kept full by the admission of permanent inmates the means of the Hospital are crippled in cases of emergency. The late Provincial Government felt this very strongly ; yet, they could not turn out the incurables to starve on the road side. It was their intention, had they remained in office, to have used their utmost exertion, by some such means, towards relieving the Hospital of what may be called its dead weight.