THE TREAT FOR POOR CHILDREN.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2517, 22 May 1895, Page 2

THE TREAT FOR POOR CHILDREN.

; A large number of ladies and gentlemen, including ministers of all denominations, attended a mooting in the Mayor’s room yesterday afternoon for the purpose of discussing ways and moans for the children’s outing on the Queen’s Birthday. The Mayor presided, and the project was taken up with much enthusiasm. It was announced that the collections to date amounted to .£73 in cash, and it is hoped the receipts will eventually total up to .£IOO, A large quantity of provisions were also promised. After providing the necessary refreshments for the children it is exxiected that a round sum will remain for the purchase of hoots and clothing tor the most deserving children, A sports committee, an executive committee and a provisioning committee wore appointed, and the Rev Mr Adams was elected assistant secretary. Subsequently a meeting of the Provisioning Committee was held, at which Mr J. G. Wi Aitken presided. The Sports Committee meet in the Mayor’s room at 2.30 this afternoon, and the Provisioning Committee will meet at tho Mount Cook Drillshod at 11 a.m. on Thursday. Wo understand that the general puhl lo will be excluded from tho Basin Itcserv® while the treat is in jirogress, but tickets o’ admission will be issued to subscribers. The number of children to be entertained will bo 2500, and tho committee of tho Boys’ Institute will have charge of the gates.

WHAT THE BENEVOLENT TRUSTEES THINK ABOUT THE PROPOSAL.

At the weekly meeting of tho Benevolent Trustees yesterday afternoon a letter was received from Mrs A. M. Hislop, hon secretary of the committee that is organising the proposed treat to poor children on the Queen’s Birthday. She wrote that she had been instructed by the committee to ask the Trustees if they would kindly send to her the names and addresses of any children to whom they thought tickets of admission should be sent. • A discussion followed which speedily made it apparent that tho Trustees took very strong exception to the scheme which the committee has in hand. They considered that it would serve no really useful purpose, and that it was objectionable on various grounds. It was pointed out that if the committee were desirous of doing'a kindness to the poor children of the city the money collected could ho an. plied far more directly to their benefit tbap in the way intended. If instead of gathering the children into some public place—perhaps cold and damp—and marking them oat for public notice, the money were handed over to tho Trustees, a Government subsidy of like amount would be obtained, and with the total sum something practical could he dons in tho way of providing children who aro ill-clad and ill-shod with necessary clothing, socks and boots to carry them through the winter. Apart from this the Trustees objected "to advertising the poverty that exists in tho • city, and : to singling out a particular class of children as the recipients of charity. It was also argued that as most of these children attend either Sunday or day schools, they joined in the -annual- school treats, and there was no necessity, therefore, for the special treat proposed. In short tho Trustees condemned the project in Into, aqd decided to refuse' the information asked for, ■’ ” ‘