DESTITUTE FAMILIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15948, 19 June 1915, Page 5

DESTITUTE FAMILIES.

COURT ORDERS IGNORED.

MAGISTRATE SUGGESTS REMEDY.

A statement was made by Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday in regard to certain comment lie had recently made when dealing with a maintenance case, and with particular reference to the reply these remarks had brought forth from the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

The magistrate had expressed the opinion that it was a scandalous state of affairs that, where two able-bodied men were responsible for the maintenance of four children, charitable aid should have been received. At the meeting of the board, the chairman, Mr. M. J. Coyle, said that every case of relief was examined on its merits. There should be an officer appointed by the Court to see that its orders in maintenance cases were enforced.

Yesterday, Mr. Kettle stated that, he did not in any way question the decision of the board in giving charitable aid to destitute children. It frequently happened, however, that married women and destitute persons, instead of taking steps to obtain maintenance from their husbands and relatives, applied to the board for charitable aid. "Whan maintenance orders are made by the magistrates," he continued,, " the defendants very often do not comply with them, and 110 steps are taken by the destitute persons, in whose favour orders are made, to bring the offenders before the Court to show cauge why they should not be punished for disobedience of the orders. The result is that the tax-payer is very frequently called to. contribute towards the support of married women and destitute persons whose husbands and near relatives are quite able to support them, but neglect to do so." With the view of altering this very unsatisfactory state of affairs, Mr. Kettle continued, the city magistrates had communicated with the. Hospital and Charitable Aid Board in July, 1913, suggesting that an officer of the board should be appointed to enforce payment of, receive, and disburse, all moneys payable Tinder maintenance orders and to see that the payments under the orders did not get into arrears. This letter concluded : The magistrates are convinced that under the present system a very large sum of money that should be available for the maintenance of destitute women and children is being lost, thus causing greater demands on tie funds of your board." The suggestion was n&t favourably received by the board, and a similar request to the Society for the Protection of Women and Children also met with a refusal. "I may mention," added Mr. Kettle, " that I have seen the chairman of tho board, who agrees with the magistrates that there is an urgent necessity for the suggested appointment, but he seems to think that the work should not be undertaken by an officer of the board."