DISPENSING CHARITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20991, 30 September 1931, Page 11

DISPENSING CHARITY.

CO-ORDINATION SCHEME. APPROVAL OF THE MAYOR. WILLING TO CALL CONFERENCE. Believing that the co-ordinating of charity is long overdue in Auckland, the Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, is prepared to call a conference to consider the suggested scheme if requested to do so. by representatives of the leading social organisations. When making this statement yesterday Mr. Hutchison said that, in view of the extent of distress and the reduced contributing power of the people, he thought numbers of soci.il activities, maintained by public contributions, which were superfluous to the vital needs of the moment, might welj be suspended for the time being. He did not enumerate the organisations lie had in mind, but made it clear that lie considered all sorts of worthy movements for which there was justification in seeking public support in normal times should now mark time to allow funds to flow to the urgent cause of poverty. Hospital Board's Position. In regard to the scheme for the sotting up of a central co-ordinating committee, it does not appear to be quite certain that the Hospital Board's signature to the draft definitely commits it to all the details. Although tho signatories "approved and commended" the scheme, the Hospital Board apparently is chiefly interested from the point of view of the efficient allocation of gift produce and goods. A ippiescntativo of the board stated yesterday tiiat the adoption of a card system for use in a central office would break the old-established rule of the board not to divulge private information. The purpose of this rule is to safeguard the sensitive feelings of recipients of relief and to avoid placing an obstacle against the approach of the "proud, but poor." Everyone knows that the board and all other agencies for the dispensing of charity have on their lists people who feel their position very keenly and who would suffer any hardship rather than have their poverty revealed even to a group of organisations. But such recipients of relief arc a very small minority indeed. The Clamorous Section.

It is tho growth of the pauper spirit which clamorously demands aid that has increased the need for a checking system, and it is a question whether the "proud poor" do not exaggerate the amount of humiliation they would feel in having their names carded in a central office. After all, the information on these cards would not be public property. Indeed, it would not be essential even for the central office to divulge particulars of a case. Under the very efficient system in operation in Honolulu, the clerks do no more than mention to an inquiring organisation the name of any body which has aided the case, and it is left for the representatives of tha two lo compare notes. Another member of the Auckland Social Service Association, the Salvation Army, has, through Staff-Captain Holmes, expressed the opinion that steps should be taken to prevent overlapping, because numbers of people are living on charity and show no incentive toward making a move to help themselves. It is perhaps necessary to assure the heads of several social services that the criticism that has been made should not bo regarded as a vote of no-confidence in them. The criticism has been directed against the general system or faults in the system. It has already been stated that the card system is in operation among the bodies which form the Social Service Association. There is no doubt that within its limits it has been working satisfactorily. But much more remains to be done. The Hospital Board should know the details of the relief given by al} other bodies. At present it does not know. First Call on Board.

One prominent worker stated yesterday that the members of the five religious organisations most prominent in social work did not do anything until the applicant had gone to the Hospital Board. Their first question was. had he gone to the Hospital Board ? Though they might not ask the board for exact information, they knew from the number of a man's dependants precisely what the amount of official relief would be. And further relief was granted with this knowledge in mind. From this it might be confidently argued that the system is as satisfactory as can be expected in this imperfect world. Yet the fact remains that there are people who are under no compulsion to make a move for themselves. There are single men who can refuse to go to the camps and yet live. There are men who have to be refused accommodation at the "doss" house for drunkenness at a time when the art of getting drunk at other people's expense is not auspicious. It might be argued that such people are beggars who gather silver from lundlydisposed but thoughtless people. Some of this sort of thing certainly takes place. It is a further fact that some men whose families are in dire need of the provisions the Hospital Board allows them arc so degraded as to raffle or sell the provisions to obtain money for liquor. And everyone is familiar with the aggressive type whicli demands charity the moment employment is lost, regarding it as a right. Preventing Human Wastage, i But all this surely emphasises the need | for a tightening-up of the wholo system, • not only on account of the cost, but on account of the need for saving numbers {of men. from drifting from bad to worse. iTJio criticism has been directed more at • this class of leakage than at the ordinary . administration. j There is another aspect of the situation. Private people are being constantly approached for help. Frequently they strain a point- to give, though often not quite sure that the case is genuine. Never having sat in a Police Court, they can hardly believe what an innocent face perjury can wear. It has been suggested that the co-ordinating committee would urge private people not to give, but to send tho applicant to its office.