DISPENSING CHARITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20990, 29 September 1931, Page 10

DISPENSING CHARITY.

CO-ORDINATION MOVE.

CENTRAL ORGANISATION.

HOSPITAL BOARD SUPPORT.

AVOIDING OVERLAPPING. A scheme for the co-ordination of the distribution of charitable relief in the city has been formulated by the boot pool committee and approved by the representatives of a number of other organisations, the signatories so far including the Auckland Hospital Board, the Department of Labour, the Business Men's Relief Service, the Returned Soldiers' Association, the New Zealand Farmers' Union, the Methodist City Mission and the Akarana Association. Thus, a very important initial step toward clarifying a very confused situation has been taken. This movement has no relation to that of the Auckland Social Service Association, which proposes to call a conference next month on the burning question of tho exploitation of charity. Such action would be sectional—a group matter in tho main. This scheme envisages the creation of an organisation to co-ordinate the work of all groups and to meet the difficulties now encountered in tho collection, allocation and distribution of relief funds. Dealing With Abnormal Conditions. Recognising that the normal or "parochial" phases of jjoverty are dealt with by the established organisations, it is not the intention or desire of those who have launched the scheme that any of the longestablishcd social services should bo checked or cancelled, but that a new system should be evolved to deal with the abnormal phase of economic distress. The task of this central checking group would be the co-ordination of systems of collection, with appropriate time-tables and mutual aid, and it would support appeals by certifying to bona-fido and efficient distribution. It would allocate in fair proportion such bulk gifts as are sent without destination for general relief. It would be responsible for tho collation, in confidence, of relief assistance given to individuals, with the supply of such information to other interested bodies to prevent duplication and to secure sustained interest in worthy cases. Most important of all, it would keep in view the objective of restoring the unemployed to suitable occupations. It is laid down that social relief must be closely linked with the re-establishment of the recipients in suitable employment and for this purpose the co-ordination of the Labour Department is provided for in this scheme. Waste and the Pawn Shop. Some details of the suggested organisation have been drafted, l'or apparel and other storeable goods the boot pool system would be favoured. As with badly-worn boots so with old-fashioned clothing, steps would be taken to have it repaired and altered. In this connection it is believed that a great deal of waste now goes on, to say nothing of pawn-shop disposal. At this stage it is not necessary to analyse details, however. The essence of the matter is that a representative organisation is in process of creation which ought to have a fair hope of achieving some degree of "rationalisation" in the dispensing of charity. Perhaps most important of all is the fact, that the Hospital Board has subscribed to the idea of a central body, maintaining an exact record of the relief granted to each individual. As has been mentioned by the Herald previously, there is no system of cross-checking the Hospital Board's cards with those of the central office of the. five main religious organisations. Co-operation Vital.

That this should lie done is vita!. It is presumed that all bodies will recognise the need and eo-oper.ite. Should one refuse to do so it is conceivable that the co-ordinating committee might refuse to certify to the efficiency of its organisation and cut off what would be its norma! share of a consignment. Naturally, action of this sort is not even discussed, but it would be the ultimate step if this plan is launched. Evidence is sfeadilv accumulating as to the extent of the overlapping that lias been taking placo. For instance, it has come to the ears of some of the men in the movement for co-ordination that out of 270 men aided at the "doss" house 110 were also receiving grants of one kind or another direct from the Hospital Board. Many individual cases could be mentioned," but there is no desire to magnify the evil in the eyes of those who are providing the relief. Seeing, however, the greatest portion of the funds is supplied bv the ratepayers of the Hospital Board's wide district, the matter is the concern of everyone. Mayoral Action Suggested. The setting up of a central co-ordinat-ing committee, with a proper recording system, is a matter of extreme urgency. One business man, speaking quite unofficially, has suggested that the Town Hall might find the necessary clerical assistance for tabulating the distributions of all bodies. The Mayor, lie considers, should be. a member of the commit fee. seeing that the question is ot such public importance. Further, he thinks that, none of the organisations concerned in the distribution of food and clothing to tho people should be represented on the committee, which should remain purely an organisation of those bodies which are concerned with collection in bulk, and of such official representatives as the Mayor and the chairman of the Hospital Board. The boot pool committee was informed yesterday that the Salvation Army had ceased supplying free meals because of overlapping.