FIFTY YEARS AGO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22225, 27 September 1935, Page 8

FIFTY YEARS AGO

CARE OF SICK AND NEEDY

An important and at that time novel measure, placing the care of the sick and needy throughout the colony in the hands of properly organised board?, was just coming into operation 50 year? ago*. Commenting on the new Act, tie New Zealand Hebald of September 28, 1885, said:— " For many years our legislature has from time to time attempted to grapple with the problem of poverty, but no such general attempt as the present has been made. By the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act of the last session of Parliament, 16 other Acts have been repealed, and we are now committed to a bold experiment to relieve the sick and poor in our midst. The new law will come into force next week and we cannot but hope that good men will be appointed to the different boards, who will try their best to mitigate the sufferings of their less fortunate fellow creatures, but not waste any of the money at their dis posal. " Special care should be taken in electing suitable men to the new boards because of the immense powers given to them in raising and dealing with public money. Doubtless a great deal of work will be thrown on these boards, because many of the institutions administering relief will now die a natural death."