Proposed Benerolent Home in the Wairarapa.

Evening Post, Volume XLIV, Issue 47, 24 August 1892, Page 2

Proposed Benerolent Home in the Wairarapa.

A mooting of fins United District Board' w.»b hold in the City Council Chambers at. noon to-day, thero being" present —Tho Rev.. H. Van Staveren (ch&irmtni), Mossrs. F. H. Fraser, G. Allon, S. Lancaster, G. Boothani,. and W. H. Bootham. Correspondence with regard! to tho proposal to establish a Homo in tae Wairarapa. for tho dostitute was read, together with a series of resolutions passed by a conference at Masterton on the 6th approving of tho scheme. Ono of the resolutions asked theBoard to provide in their next computation v^ for tho establishment of the homo. The Hutt Borough Council wrote disagreeing with the proposal. The letter from tho Conference was not signed, but Mr. W. H. Beetham explained that it had been written by Mr. F. G. Mooro, the Secretary, and tho Board agreed to accept this assurance. Mr. W. H. Beetham supported tho proposal, and said that Mr. Stnokey, who had had oxperienoo at Homo, was of opinion that such an institution was required. Mr. Allon said ho did not approve of tho idea to establish poor-houses m tbv country districts. Mr. Lancaster thought that tho "Vfairarapa people should havo brought fofwaJd figures, so as to give tho Board somo id£&A<l what was required. Mr. Frasor Baid ho would pauso before giving a vote for the establishment of a workhouso in tho Wairarapa. In faot, lie considered the proposal a groat mistake Mr. G. Beotham said there was no doubt that outdoor relief in the Wairarapa wnß growing, and it was thought that tho establishment of mi Industrial Homo would havo the offect of preventing many porsons from taking relief. The Chairman pointed out that tho Board had no power to ?rant money for tho purposo stated. He quite agrood that a change in the system of outdoor reliof was required, but beforo the Board oowld do anything different from what was now being doun another Act would havo to bo passed. Ho agreed with tho suggestion that a Relieving Officer should bo appointed to sue that undeserving peoplo did not receive rolief. Mr. Allen said that tho city roprosontativos woro qnito willing that tho Wellington and Wairarapa districts should bo severed.^ Mr. W. H. Boetham thonght thoro could bo no doubt that it would bo choaper to tho Wairarapa pooplo to establish and maintain a Benevolent Homo than to continue tho present sysUm of rolief. Mr. Lancaster was convinced that tho public v> onld not agree to the establishment of a workhouao in a rich agricultural and pastoral district liko the Wairarapa. After further discussion, Mr. Fraser moved —That tho Board has no power to. agree to the proposals of tho oonforonoe. Tho resolution was seconded by Mr. Lancaster and agveod to.