Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 211, 20 October 1888, Page 3

Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

An adjourned meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held in the Council Chambers at noon yesterday. Present: The Mayor (in the chai?), Messrs Harding, Coleman, and Dunlop. The Rev. McAra, Secretary of the Benevolent Society attended the meeting at the hivitation of the Board. Mesdames Pollen and East, members of the Ladies’ Committee of the Society, also attended. The Chairman said the principal reason of the meeting being cal l ed was because at the previous meeting some members had thought it would ba better for the Board itself to administer relief, while others thought they could not do better than entrust the work to the Ladies’ Committee of the Benevolent Society. Mr Coleman said the chief reason why he thought it would be better for the Board to administer the relief itself, was because he had heard that the Benevolent Society had discontinued appealing to the public fur subscriptions. He thought if the Society only disbursed the Board’s funds it would be better that relief should be administered through the Board, at the same time he believed relief could not be administered in a better way than through the Benevolent Society. He thought it was only right that the Board should have a full explanation of the way in which relief was administered. He would like Mr McAra to state whether the Benevolent Society had given up the idea of voluntary subscriptions.

Mr McAra said there was no desire on the part of the ladies to shirk the work of collecting, but they felt that the present was not an opportune time for subscriptions. His own opinion was that the Board should keep the matter in their own hands.

Mr Dunlop would be very sorry to see the present arrangements disturbed. The present system of disbursing relief through the Ladies’ Committee was far better than any other. He thought most cases would be more properly dealt with by the ladies than by members of the Board. Out of twenty members of the Board only three or four attended the meetings, and he thought if the matter was taken out of the hands of the ladies the whole thing, would fall. He had •very confidence in the members of the Benevolent Society. The Chairman thought the work was of a nature men could not do. Mr Coleman thought from the tone of the Benevolent Society’s letter they had given up all idea of collecting subscriptions from the public. Mr McAra said the work of the ladies was not a very pleasant one. Very often reports were circulated that relief had been given to those who had no right to receive it, and these reports when enquired into were found to be without foundation.

Mrs Pollen did not think any of them were willing to continue if the work could be done better in another way. She did not think they would go collecting again—they might do so if necessary. There were a certain number of charitably disposed persons in ths district who would always subscribe, while others would never give anything. She thought it fairer to take the money from the rates than to be always appealing to the same persons. Mrs East endorsed what Mrs Pollen had said. She did not think relief could be administered directly by the Board as effectively as by the committee of ladies, for if the gentlemen undertook it there would be many cases which would never be made known. Some people would rather starve than ask for relief.

The Chairman thought the Benevolent Society were entitled to the thanks of the Board, and he would propose, “That the thanks of the Board are due and given to the Benevolent Society, and we assure them of Hich support as we can give them.” Mr Coleman seconded. He considered they should have an understanding that when a requisition was made to the Board for funds full particulars should be given. He thought they might also ask the Benevolent Society to help them as far as possible by collecting subscriptions from the public. He was quite satisfied with the Benevolent Society, which was doing a good and proper work.

The Chairman urged it was better not to appeal fer subscriptions. There were a certain few who were known, and when money was wanted those persons always responded, while others always turned a deaf ear to appeals for help. Mr Harding thought it fairer for the Board to find the money than to let the ladies collect it.

Mr McAra tendered his resignation as Secretary of the Benevolent Society, the duties of which he had discharged for the last nine years. He suggested that in future the Secretary of the Board should besides act as Secretary of the Benevolent Society. He also suggested that the Board should appoint a committee to attend the meetings of the Society and see what was done with moneys voted by the Board.

Mr McAra’s resignation was accepted, and his suggestions adopted. The Secretary reported that he had received a claim of £l2 16s 6d from the Bay of Plenty Charitable Aid Board for the maintenance of Thomas Watt, late of Gisborne. He had written asking for further particulars.—Agreed to await reply to letter. With refe ence to a claim from the Auckland Board for maintenance of Dr Scott, the Secretary stated that he had been informed that Dr Scott was paid for contributions to the Auckland Star and Family Friend, and he had written to the Board asking them to make enquiries. A letter was received from Mr W. Birch

asking if the Board could compel W. Markie to contribute to the support of bis children. Mr Birch stated that he had adopted the youngest child on the death of its mother, and the others had since been thrown on his care. His earnings did not average more than eighteen shillings a week, and in order to keep things going he had to borrow from tne Government Insurance Department the full amount of his policy. It was decided to place the matter in the hands of Sergt Bullen.