THE DESTITUTE POOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 137, 21 April 1864, Page 3

THE DESTITUTE POOR.

So mi" time since we drew attention to the i change in our social economy which an increased population and more advanced stage of civilization have unfortunately called iorth. There was a time, and not, ten years ago, when it would have been a matter of considerable diliictiiiy to have found, in Auckland, any person of sound mind and health in such straitened circumstances as to have required the aid of public, charity, and not three years ago the cost to the Provincial Treasury tor the supply of Government rations and other assistance did not amount to i'litH) per annum. During the present year the stun required of the Provincial Government for (his purpose will j be little short of A'2,o<ni. .In many eases, of i course, fraud will be practised on the authorithics. 'We have even known of a case where the recipients of these pauper rations attended the balls at Government House. "We are glad to find that the agitation of this important question has been attended with advantage, and that steps are about to be taken by the authorities for rendering useful (he revenue of an estate worth from .(.oO.OUO to I't'iU.OUO, and applying it for the benefit and sustenance of the poor of Auckland. Some little time since it was intended to establish an industrial school, but owing to other sources having been found available for the object intended. the erection of the Industrial Institution has at any rate been delayed, if not altogether abandoned. Our readers are aware that in the neighbourhood of Auckland are three valuable properties which up to the last, twelvemonth have been used more or less as native institutions, in which certain natives were fed and lodged, and j received a certain amount of instruction. These [are St. John's, on the North Shore. St. Stei phen s, beyond Parnell, and that of the Three | Kings. Grants of these hinds were made | many years ago to the several religious bodies Ito which they belong, and in accordance, i perhaps, with the peculiar notion some time | entertained that -Maori interests should take j precedence of those of' Europeans, and partly, ! perhaps, that there were then no pressing cases i of want miotigst those of our own people, these j lands were made use ot solely for the benefit jof natives. It has, however, lately transpired that, the original grants did not specify that these lands should be set apart, solely for the use of natives, and it is intended more especially nmv that the Maoris have ceased to make use j of the benefit of these institutions, to resume possession of those valuable properties and to cause the trustees to apply them to the benefit of the European poor and destitute. Jn some instances the trustees have objected to this change, in the case of St. Stephen's. Bishop Seiu vn zealously contends for the right of the i .Maori alone to receive benefit troiu this large 1 estate, but the intention of the Government is ! fixed, and the funds to the amount of some .L4.t>t>o or .t5,000 a year are (o be applied to the ; relief of the destitute poor of the Kttropean poptiI hition. in the manner intended in the grant, and j this day, we believe, lifteen of the most needy I and destitute children that can be found in j Auckland will be sent to each one of these 'three institutions, as a first instalment. "We. j think, however, and we have no reason to be- ! lieve l.hat the government intention inclines ! otherwise, that the management of each trust I should be left under the control of the religious body to which the original grant was made, subject to the supervision of the Government, so as to insure the proper administration of the funds, i "We trust that for some time to come, even lor '.a long rime, for as the population increases the ' value of these properties will also increase, that ! our poor and destitute w ill be amply provided j for. Jt is sad even to lvtleet that for so long a I time men and women, and little children ol the i same flesh and blood as ourselves have been i living in poverty and misery— that we have been training in our midst some eighty or ninety city | arabs to fill our gaols ill alter years —while all • the time we have been squandering so large an | annual sum on a. few natives who at the first ! notes of rebellion returned to their triends. and j probably, where old enough, to bear arms against