CHARITABLE AID.

Evening Star, Issue 7750, 23 October 1888, Page 1

CHARITABLE AID.

It is almost universally admitted that the present system of maintenance of hospitals and providing for and administering charitable aid is defective in many essentials, and absolutely demands radical reform. There is good reason to believe, in the first place, that encouragement is unwittingly afforded to the improvident and thriftless, which tends to the creation of a pauper class; whilst the financial arrangements are manifestly imperfect, and not consistent with equity. Not only does the whole cost, independently of such aid as the State affords by way of subsidy, fall exclusively on the ratepayers, but it is found by experience that the levies on the several bodies of ratepayers in the subdivisions of districts are not, and, it would appear, cannot be reguj lated in accordance with the ments, the latter necessarily being somewhat indefinite, and influenced from time to time by unforeseen contingencies. The District Charitable Aid Boards no doubt do their best within the statutory limits of their functions to keep things as much on the square as possible; but circumstances, it may easily be understood, are against them, and gross irregularities can hardly be avoided, extreme cases of which are cited in the annual report of the Inspector of Hospitals. At the monthly meeting of the Otago Charitable Aid Board, held on Thursday last, a very interesting return was submitted, which shows that in the district under their jurisdiction by far the greater number of the subdistricts, including all the boroughs except Maori Hill and Roslyn, received during the past year considerably more than they paid in. Twenty-three contributing bodies, indeed, out of a total of thirty-three, received £8,487 11s whilst they only contributed £3,571 19s 7d, The Flat boroughs—South Dunedin, Oaversham, and St. Hilda—beat the record, having received £1,737 Bs, and only contributed £402 lls lid. The counties, with the single exception of Waikouaiti, paid more than was expended. Mr Solomon expressed the opinion that “the “inference to be drawn from this “return was that the relief of the “poor should be made a national “affair and not merely a local one”; but we fail to see on what this inference is based, or how matters would be mended by centralisation. So long as the principle of throwing all the charge on the ratepayers is conserved, the results would be very much the same,in regard to proportionate contribution and expenditure in the several localities. In the face of the facts disclosed by the return, it may possibly be the duty of the Board to readjust the subdivisions for the purpose of the Act, so as to remove or reduce existing anomalies so far as this may be possible. Counties, for instance, that pay more than they receive might be grouped with boroughs which are the other way. It is not, we believe, practicable to do much that would be effective in this direction. The whole system really requires reconstruction on very different principles. The subject, we are quite aware, is a very difficult one to deal with, and it is easier to find fault than to suggest a remedy. It may be maintained, however, that a step in advance has been made by the acknowledged failure of the laws in operation to sue cessfully deal with charitable aid in its various phases. If there had been success in this, the main object of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Acts, the question of equitably raising the required funds might be open for discussion on ex parte grounds; but it is, we conceive, indissolubly connected with the general dissatisfaction which prevails. It is difficult to understand why the burthen of charitable aid, hospitals, benevolent institutions, and industrial schools should be placed on the already overladen shoulders of the ratepayers, whilst the majority of the people, although equally concerned and interested, are allowed to go scotfree.

From what transpired in the House last session, there is reason to hope that the Government have in serious contemplation some measure of reform. The Premier, in reply to Mr Walker, stated that Ministers had considered the subject with every desire that justice should be done all round ; but very careful consideration was required, and it would not do to legislate hastily in a matter of so great importance. Sir Harry intimated that it was intended to bring down a Bill “ dealing with the “question on lines which he hoped “ would be satisfactory both to town “ and country.” Being further pressed as to details, the honorable gentleman acknowledged that there were “great “ difficulties to be got rid of, as affect- “ ing the town and the country ; in fact “ the whole question was surrounded “with difficulties—so much so, that “he had no hope that the Govern“ment would be entirely success* - “ful in overcoming them; but - “he hoped they would produce a ' “Bill next session which would deal “in a comprehensive way with the “whole matter, and mete out even “justice to all concerned.” Sir.. Johk Hall then expressed a wish to know whether the Premier would include in his consideration “ not “ only the division of the colony into “ districts, but also the basis of local“taxation for these objects. It ap» fi ? “peared to him that this required “almost more careful consideration “ than any other point” Sir. Harry,

in reply to the honorable member for Selwyn, stated that he had “ much “ pleasure in assuring the House that “ the Government would most cer “ tainly take into consideration the “question of the basis upon which “ taxation ought to go.”