REDUCED SUBSIDY

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1926, Page 4

REDUCED SUBSIDY

IXSTITFTE FOR BLIND. AUCKLAND. August 20. •• Personally, I am in favour of telling tin* Government to take the institute over itself,” said the chairman. Mr 11. It. Vaile. at a meeting of trustees of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind, in moving a resolution to the Government to reconsider its decision to discontinue paying it usual subsidies on donations to the institute. Trouble over subsidies 'had been experienced with the Government lor the past eighteen months, hut the decision to reduce subsidies was not made known to the trustees until after the recent negotiations between the director of the institute, Mr Clutha X. Mackenzie, and the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance. Reporting on his interviews, Mr Mackenzie. said the Government had proposed to limit its subsidies to the deficiency on the year's workings. In opposing this arrangement, he had pointed out that it would not encourage economy and that public contributions would probably fall away. He had put forward a proposal that a £1 for £1 subsidy should he continued until an adidtional capital endowment of £IOO,OOO had been obtained. The Government had now replied that it could not continue to give subsidies as previously, as it would have the effect of subsidising endowments, ft also said that the institute was

very wealthy and had special privileges. and that the present proposals would absolutely guarantee its luture finance. Mr Vaile said that when the institute was formed about thirty years ago the Government agreed to sulssidise all donations £1 for £l. Trouble arose about eighteen months ago, when difficulty was experienced in obtaining certain moneys. Under the existing arrangement, they should have been entitled to £40,C00 from the Government as subsidy on the Pearson fund, hut after prolonged negotiations they had agreed to accept £20.000. It was in regard to the building fund that Mr Mackenzie had approached tho Government, and it had finally agreed to subsidise public subscriptions to the extent of £15,000. Since the present Government took over its duties, the board had had to fight for every penny. If nothing could be done in the matter, the public, knowing that an equal subsidy could not he obtained on their contributions, would not give so freely. It was a very .short-sighted policy, as the Government would only have to make up the deficiency. “It is very discouraging to he treated in this way after the hard work that has been done,” said Mr Vaile.

* ‘especially as we know that tile Government could not run tin? iustituto as economically as we have (10110.” I lie following resolution was carried :—-“That the trustees of tlio Juhiloc Institute for the Blind consider the refusal of tlic* Government to continue to pay the usual subsidies on donations as inimical to the welfare of the blind in this Dominion, and highly disadvantageous to the taxpayers, also that further representations he made to the Government to continue the. subsidy until the institute is in a. position to carry on the wrk without assistance.”-