CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12942, 9 October 1902, Page 3

CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The North Canterbury Charitable Aid Bonrd met yesterday; present—Mr F. J. Board (•chairman), Mesdames. Wells and Black, Messrs J. T. Smith, R. Westcer-a, J. W. Wolfe, C. J. Harper, G. Witty, B. P. Manhdre, H. B. Sorensen, Dcbsotn, J. Wallace and S. Harris. It wag resolved to grant a. bonus of £3 each to tine, officers in cJiarge of the Ashburton Old Men's Heme, and to the matron cf the same institution, for the additional work carried out.by tlhem in connection with the removal of the inmates from the old hrim© to the raw. Mr Westenra referred to a recent debate in Parliament on the old aere pension; scheme, in which Mr W. W. Collins had stated that certain charitable aid authorities had refused medical old to oM age pensioners. Mr Western 1 ?., was convinced fhH Mr Collins referred to tho North Canterbury Board. The Ohairman said that that wa.9 tbe first he badbeard of the matter, but it was not the pr?ctice of the. committee to re/use medical a3d to such pensioners. Tlie custom and intention of the committee- ran rather the other Way, and the Board did l too much hospital duty. No old age pensioners that he had 1 ever heard of had been refused medical assistance, but it was possible that people able to attend the hospital had been refused. Mrs Black bore out the chairman's remarks-. Mr Smith said that it was peculiar tJmfc two members of Parliament should have mode statements without first communicating with the Board in order to seo -whether their statements were correct. It would iiave been more to the purpose to have communicated with the Board. Mr Sorensew moved that the secretary should be requested to write to Messrs ColUna and Ell, asking for the names of the officials referred to, and particulars of the cases. Tho Ghairmaiii in answer to a- question,

said that the Board had not been relieved by the Old Age Pension Act to the extent that had been expected. The resolution was carried \nnanimously. The Tuarangi Home Committee reported tfaat it had considered the subject of the letter from, the Samaritan Home trustees, referred by the- Board at the last meeting. It considered that a practical solution of the difficulty in> which, the trustees apparently found themselves would be the ham.dlmg' over of the entire management of the Samaritan Homo, together with the premises, to the Board at the expiration of the current financial year. The- Board was unable to levy any additional rate on the local authorities or claim further subsidy from the Government meanwhile; and therefore should not be expected to increase its own liabilities by relieving the Samaritan Hem© authorities of theirs. The continuance of a separate institution, governed in part by i-epre-sentatives of the contributors of so small a proportion of the total cost of maintenance, was calculated to increase not only the demands for relief, but. also the discontent of certain inmates of various homes, so long as they thought tlhcy could migrate from one to another at their own will, or after disregarding regulations and bang discharged for misconduct. Mr Harper moved tie adoption of the report. He said that it was necessary to have a, sort of half-way home for those inmates who were too bad for the existing- Homes, yet too good for'the eaol. Mp G. Witty secon3ed the motion, and said that the recommendation of the committee was not intended to abolish or interfere with private charity. The Chairman said he was of opinion that oil the charitable aid work in the district should be controlled by one body. He fuHy recognised that it was the duty of the Board to make full provision for the two classes of work undertaken by the Samaritan Home, namely, female vagrant cases, and lying in cases for the second.and third time.

Mr Sorensen said 'the Samaritan Home was owned by the Government, and the Trustees could nob band it over to the Board. He would have preferred that -tie committee had not replied decisively upon the question. Mr iManhire said lie was not in favour of taking ever the Samaritan Home. In his opinion, the class of men in the Homo were fit for either the Old Men's Home or the gaol. The report "was carrier! by 9 to 4. The Charitable Aid Committee reported that, after discussing the question of certain proposed amendments to the laws relating to registration, of illegitimate births, and other matter?, it was unable to arrive at unanimous conclusions, and was therefore not prepared to make any recommendation on either subject. Mr Harper moved that the communications received from other public bodies onl the subject should be laid on the table. Mrs Bla-ck moved an amendmemt, that] the alterations in the clauses of the Registration Act as set forth in the circular, from other Boards should be adopted by the Board. Mr. Sorensen seconded' the amendment. .

The Chairman said that it was not to be presumed that the members of the committee were antagonistic to all the proposals contained in the circular. He contended that if th© law were rigidly admini I *- tered there was sufficient provision now tfl meet all objections. To adapt the proposals in t3ie circular would be a. step towards pl&rmg all children, legitimate and' illegitimate, on the same legal footing, which would strike a serious blow at thei present marriage system. Mr Smith protested against the loose way in w3iich 'the ■ proposals had 1 been drawn-, and said their adoption would open the door

to great 'and lasting wrong. . . Mrs Wells said t'hat illegitimate childiM had an> immense burden to bear. Such. cMMren should be supported according, to tih< means of the father. It was time some, ai these burdens should be lifted f roan the* shoulders, and that the women alar* snoalo not have all tie burdens to bear. Mr Witty did not. think the man. sboulc go soot free and the woman have to beau all the shame. The amendment was lost. Mrs Wells then moved a 'further amend. ment—" That where paternity is proved tin Board considers that it would be advisafefc that an illegitimate child should be registered in the names of both father sum mother." The Chairman ruled the amendment ou'i pf order, and the original motion was car Tied by 9 to 4. The Institutions Committee reported it reference to the condition of tie Board'* property abutting on the old Governor*! Bay Road, Lyttelton, that the borough au thorities were indisposed' to admit any liability for damage by storm water, but woulc endeavour as far as possible to prevent ang overflow from the road. To carry cut th< suggestion that a retaining wall should t* erected 1 , would involve considerable expense The committee recommended that the mat ron of the Orphanage be relieved of he] other duties as inspecting officer, in arde: ukit her whole attention might be devotee to the, affairs of the institution. Tho report was udopted, and it was do cided to obtain a legal opinion as to tin Board's liability for the damage by storn water.

The Chairman said the committee hac practically turned the Orphanage into a cot tage home. The treasurer reported the following ra ceipts since last meeting:—Countdes-r Ainuri £ls 5s 6d, Akaroa £26 lis, Ashbur ton £75 18s lid, Cheviot £lO lis 6d, Kad koura £7 5s 6d, Selwym £259 13s 4d; Roa< Boards-Ashley £l6 7s lOd, Oxford £l9 3s ?d, West Eyreton £lO 13s Id; boroughs— Chiistehurch £69 14s sd, St Albans £26 £ 4d, Sydenham £l4 5s Id ; Twigger acconn' £91135, Eat-in account £2O ss, refunds one recoveries £B3 0s lOd, voluntary eontribu tions—Mrs Watson,, per Messrs Harmai and Stevens, to the Orphanage, £l3, to ih< Refuge £l3, to the As-hburton Homo £l3. The statement was adopted, and a yoU of thanks was passed to Mrs Watson fc] her donations. The Board' then adjourned! till th-e finrt Wednesday in November.