The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, November 24, 1888. A TERRIBLE PROBLEM.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 226, 24 November 1888, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Saturday, November 24, 1888. A TERRIBLE PROBLEM.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country's. Thy God's, and truth’s.

In our last issue we gave a short article under the heading “ Colored Paupers," which created quite a sensation amongst those who have an idea of what .the consequences might be, and our duty now compels us to take up the general subject and to use our best endeavors in the direction of bringing people’s minds to a comprehension of the true state of affairs with regard to the dispensation of charitable aid’ It is only by revealing these matters’ and impressing them upon the attent on of those who have to pay the penaltythat we can hope for any reform. There is a danger springing up in our midst for which we can see only one remedy that is the elowst publist

scrutiny into all matters connected with charitable aid relief, and the most care ful administration by the executive whose duty it is to discharge these functions. How many ratepayers know, for instance, the continual and increasing drain which this district has to suffer for the purpose of providing relief for individuals located in other districts ? How many ratepayers know how much has this year been exacted from our local bodies for charitable purposes ? or what provision is required for the future ? Well we will try and enlighten them with a few plain facts. Here is a bill from the Auckland Board presented to the Gisborne Board BB MATTHEW SCOTT. June 26 to Sept. 30.

At present the Board is maintaining four indigent persons, one in Napier and the three named in Auckland, for which they have had to pay a six months’ bill of £v> 9 s 9<f 1 Another account has been received from the Bay of Plenty Board for Thomas Watt, late of Waipiro, for /"la 17s 6d. Section 74 of the Act says:— I! any Institution under this Act afford relief to any person coming from beyond the contributing districts in which such institution is situated it shall be lawful for the Trustees or the Board having the control of the institution affording relief to recover from the Board of the District from which such person came the entire cost of such relief firovided that the person has resided in the act-mentioned district at least six months next before he entered the institution from which he obtained relief.

And a Dunedin magistrate has ruled that the maintenance must be paid for an indefinite date by the district from which the indigent person previously came. In regard to Galbraith, now in the Napier Old Men’s Home, a most curious arrangement seems to have been entered into, and for which there is no authority under the Act. The Benevolent Society agreed to take Z’ao to maintain the unfortunate man for the rest of his life. Of course the Government subsidy doubled the amount, and as it appeared likely.that the poor fellow would soon be released from his lingering, the shortsighted policy of the Board seemed hardly to require questioning. It was found he could not be maintained in Gisborne, and he was sent on to Napier, the Gisborne Board having to make regular contributions on his behalf. In short it tpeans he has been given a life annuity, his case having already cost about £2O. The following letter has been receiied by Mr McKay (the local Secretary) in response to an application for information with regard to the case of Matthew Scott:— BB MATTHEW SCOTT. Sir,—Thia person at one time did receive payment from the Auckland ** Star ” newspaper for literary contributions, and during that time supported himself. When that failed him its a means of livelihood, he was compelled to oome back to the Board for rations and shelter. He suffers from time to time from his old complaint, erysipelas in the feet, which of course lays him up altogether. I cannot say how long he. may remain a burden upon your district. Perhaps it would be as well for your Board to pay his fare back to Gisborne and deal with the case themselvez. —H. N. Gauland, Secretary.

Surely the Gisborne Board is not justified in paying anything more on Scott’s account ? Here we have direct proof that since he left Gisborne he has been able to support himself, but it appears that directly he lapses into his former condition he is again made a burden on Cook County. In this case there seems a desire to set up a principle which ought to be contested. If it is allowable it would be far better not only to maintain in the district those indigent persons for whose support we have to contribute to other Boards, but to invite all the poor of the colony here on the same terms, and set up a general establishment. It would mean not only retaining our own money in the place, but also securing the expenditure in Gisborne of contributions from all the other districts. Of course no one would suggest this in earnest, but it shows how absurd is the whole system. Referring then to affairs locally, a feeling of delicacy prohibits our saying much which might perhaps be said with advantage, but we are afraid of injuring the cause of the deserving ones, than whom none are more to be pitied. It will be sufficient to say that the applications for relief are rapidly increasing, that they are double what they were 12 months ago, that between them the County and Borough Councils have this year (from April rst) been compelled to divert £9O from its legitimate purpose of road making to the funds of the Aid Board, and that probably a similar amount will be required to carry on with until the end of March, 1889. In other words, that if things go on as at present a poor rate will have to be struck. The prospect is a most dreary one, nor does the solution seem at all clear. The ladies composing the Benevolent Society have, we understand, lost heart in their good work ; the Board at present meets very irregularly and is in reality only a nominal body. What we would strongly advise as the first step towards an improved state of things is that the Board should recognise its responsibility, awaken to a sense of the danger which has to be averted, and appoint an energetic executive, who will take the matter thoroughly in hand and pay the closest attention to and most careful scrutiny of all matters which they may have to consider. No matter how wisely funds may be administered there will be abuses which cannot be avoided, but watchful eyes will be the most effective remedy we can think of.

Act. rend, by Relieving Officer .. £1 11 0 ,, „ by Hospital Steward.. Maintenance in Refuge for 70 11 0 0 days, at Is per day .. 3 10 0 £16 1 0 BE J. T. CBAWEOBD, WIEE, AND FAMILT. June 26 to Sept. 30. Act. rend, by Believing Officer .. 276 rations supplied, at 2 5-lGtbs £2 13 n of a penny 2 13 2i £5 6 9f RB EDWARD CARB. Jan. 23 to Sept. 30. 252 days’ maintenance in Refuge, at Is per day .. .. £12 12 0 Total £33 19 9J