PATIENTS’ AND PRISONERS’ AID SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 12068, 14 December 1903, Page 1

PATIENTS’ AND PRISONERS’ AID SOCIETY.

Oxce again we liave the pleasure, of b-ar-iDg tnbnbe to the good work done bv the Pabcntt and Prisoners’ Ail SocieW—a wort which lias now been going on, unostentatiously but unceasingly, for more than garter of a century. In the public mind the undertaking is specially and rigbt.lv connected with the name of the society's principal executive officer, Mr Tommie, whose faithful and self-sacrificing phiimthrjpy has given him an enviable plate in the affections of the people of Dunedin. Air Torrance’s essentially Christian labors have been almost incessantly piirforme:! in spite of the stress of much physical wcafcuess, and it may be that, “the great Chrisfcian grace of sympathy ’ lias been eminently conspicuous in him because he himself ku so often, been a sufferer. Advancing years have made it necessary that he should brnc * lKe assistance, and we arc glad to know >.hat in Air Axelsen the Society have secured a worker who possesses admicih-e qualifications—unselfish industry, tact, geniality, and an enthusiasm which can dishearten. Most of oar readers are doubtless aware that the work is both spiritual and material m nature, Heligious services, of an imdenommational character, are provided at the. Siu institutions—the Hospital, the City Gaol, the Taiaroa Head Prison’ >he Beadiff Asyhrm, and the Industrial fhhool—whSe every possible effort is made

t*» supply the pressing wants of departing rrnrrates. No formal report can give a full estimate of the work accomplished in the course of the year. Material aid was given in 230 eases during the last twelve month' and this iact will give the public some id-t of the actual and visible relief ■which n.e Society furnish; but this forms but a fraction of the agents’ regular occupation and performance. To quote from the ronmt presented at the annual meeting on Thurday ; —“Large, however, as is the material “assistance rendered, it is the effort 0:1 “ behalf of individuals and families which “absorbs most of riie agents’ time, and “ help in that way far exceeds in value the * money spent. But full explanation of the daily occasions for such services is imaxis- “ sible. Suffice ib to say that while, help, ' whether’ in kind or bv effort, is given dis- " cri mi noting! y, it is also given in cosmo- “ pobtan spirit, irrespective of national or " denominational distinctions, the object “ being to enable, the persons assisted to “act- for themselves.’ It has always been the aim of the Society to pave the way of patients and prisoners to happier conditions; to encourage self-help and avoid the danger of anything akin to pauperisation; io further the progress of phvsical and moral health; and (in the case of those who nave broken the law) to illustrate and enforce the sound doctrine ttnit* " men mar " rise on stepping-stones of their dead selves “ to higher things.” The attendance at the meeting on Thursday was very satisfactory—indicating a healthy interest in the .work —and the speeches were practical in the best sense.

Mr Justice Williams always says the light, (king in 1.1 if- right way, and there can be no question as to the signal value of the pivsideutial services rendered to the Society by the honored Judge throughout, the last quarter of a. century. The finances are in a sound condition, lint we are. inclined to agree with .Mr G. M. Thomson that the number of subscribers might, he increased by the means of a little judicious activity. Unsolicited subscriptions are. of course, the I)est and most, genuine way ot assisting a work of this kind, and the following passage in the. Committee's report should be emphasised:—“’The- Committee sdnccrclv “ thank the ladies and gentlemen who. hi “ the winter time, unsolicitedly sent, dona- “ tions to the yhapLains, with special re: -r- ---“ enee to the suffering poor." Expm-kime shows, however, that the majority rv. 3 charitable people like to be directiv invited to give their aid, and phila-nthuc. organisations cannot afford to ignore lids predilection. Finally, wc think it right view of some prevalent misconceptiors) draw special attention to Mr To-rram; striking tribute to the idudliness and active co-operation, of the police forcr. Thu marks have already been reported iu oar columns, but wo think it worth while <« reproduce two or three sentences i —“ Dur- “ ing his thirty-six years’ experience, police “officers and detectives had renderd him “ frequent assistance, and not long ago a “ detective came to Mr Axeisans house to “ tell him of a certain young man who was “ trying to pull himself together, and eei- “ dently desired to enter upon a better “ course. Such instances frequently os- " curred. They got a great deal of vaiu- “ able help from jiolice authorities, and “ never in a single instance had be found •‘them eager 1 to do anything to crush a man down, but, rather, eager to Tiff, him “up-. In the Gaol, the Hospital, and the “'Asylum—he emphasised it particularly as “regarded the Gaol —the officials had given “out of their stock of clothing and even “ means to help a discharged man to make “a fresh start.” Tins is very welcome vstimonv ; not that w’c are surprised by it, for we know some thing of the. good-hearted-ness to be found among the police; out. Mr Torrance says. there is undoubted-’y a

prevalent misconception—we might cad .it a vulgar prejudice —regarding the disposaxioH of the force.