CHARITABLE AID.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 916, 20 September 1889, Page 15

CHARITABLE AID.

(per press association.) Dunedin, September 18. Some extraordinary statements were made at a meeting of the Benevolent Trustees today as to the manner in which persons are recommended for relief by local bodies. The Chairman said three years ago the Mayor of Hawkesbury recommended a person as )ieing a proper subject for relief, and an allowance of 5s per week for three months ffas made, The Mayor, who was a store-

keeper, supplied the goods for 33 weeks. Some demur was made about paying this, bat the relief has been kept up for three years, the Mayor having received £37 for goods supplied. The Inspector visited t) i e district recently, and, according to the statement made to him by the woman herself, she never required- relief, as she had plenty of work and had no intention of applying for it, bub she-was persuaded by the Mayor and others that she ought to have it. Against this, however, the Trustee had visited the district since then, and he was told by the ex-mayor referred to that the woman required relief till her son got shearing to do. After some discussion it was decided to give the ex-mayor, who is highly respected in the district, a chance of explaining. The Chairman mentioned an almost similar ease in another district, but this had been nipped iu the bud t y the inspector’s visit. He also said that he knew of a case where it was discovered that the person receiving relief was not entitled to it, and the party who had forwarded the recommendation on being spoken to about it said “I know, but what would you have me do. I should be hounded down as a mean CU3S if I tried to take the institution's allowance away.’' It was decided that in future the supplying of goods tdiould be as far as possible kept out of the hands of those making the recommendations.