CHARITABLE AID BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9564, 21 October 1892, Page 4

CHARITABLE AID BOARD

The regular monthly meeting of the committee of the Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday afternoon, there being present Messrs Robin (chairman), Gourley, ftlonson, Snow, Hardy, Clark, Green, and Miller. CONTRIBUTIONS BY LOCAL BODIES. The following report was read by the Chairman concerning the payment of contributions by local bodies: —

To the Executive Committee of the board. Gentlemen,—l am pleased to be able to report that out of the eight local bodies who at date "of last monthly meeting had failed to pay contributions to the board ou account of tbe current financial year ended 31st March last, all have since complied with the demands of the board except the Portobello Road Board, and in the case of this body it has been found necessary to apply to the Colonial Treasurer to stop the amount of their contribution for the whole year out of subsidy due by the Government to them. Should the said subsidy he insufficient to meet the claims of the board, of course the balance will have to be collected by means at command under the act. Out of 34 contributing local bodies to the board, four have paid up in full to the end of the financial year, two have paid up to the end of October, 20 have paid up to the end of September, and three have paid up to the end of August. Of the remaining five, the Roslyn Borough Council have paid up to the end of July on the basis of last year's rate, whilst the borough councils of Cromwell, Green Island, and Balclutha respectively have paid up to the end of June on the same basis. In regard to the five last-mentioned contributing bodies, the secretary has written drawing their attention to arrears, and asking what steps have been taken, if any, in regard to payment of contributions for the remaining period of the year. As to the financial position of the board at present, the bank book submitted shows a debit balance of L3S7 17s. As against this, however, there is a sum of L 943 5s 3d due by the Government as subsidy on contributions paid up to the 10th inst. In considering these facts it must be borne in mind that current claims have to be met, and of these the Benevolent Institution requires L3OO and the Caversham Industrial School over LIU9; but with an increased rate of contributions of local bodies for the remaining period of the year, I am in hopes that our liability to the bank incurred on account of last year's expenditure will soon be cleared off and future claims against the board met without embarrassment. ~ Mr Snow said that with reference to those who were behind in their payments he would ask that the committee take some steps to recover these contributions. It was very unfair to those who had contributed to allow these to stand. The Chairman was very loth to go to law with any of them, but they might carry a resolution to do the best they could. Mr Snow moved —" That the chairman and secretary take steps against those local bodies who are in arrear; 14- days' notice to be given."

This was seconded by Mr Green and carried. CONTROL OF THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL. The Secretary read the following letter, the original of which had been forwarded to the Minister for Education: —

Town Hall Building, Dunedin, October 14. The Hon. the Minister for Education, Wellington. Sir, —I have the honour, by resolution of Executive Committee of United Districts Charitable Aid Board to again approach you in reference to the long-debated question of control of the Caversham Industrial School, and as a reason for doing so am desired by the committee to say that there seems at the present time to exist a favourable opportunity for giving effect to the oft - expressed views of the board en the subject. My committee deem it unnecessary to recapitulate the arguments that have been advanced from time to time in previous corre-pondence and interviews in favour of granting the board a reasonable measure of control over the management of the school, since the justice of the board's claim in the matter has never been fairly or directly disputed. My committee ;are free to admit that perfection in the management of such institutions as the Caversham Industrial School may not be capable of attainment under any system of human control, but at the same time they are decidedly of opinion that much can be achieved towards that end by the adoption of a judicious and common-sense system of local supervision. Holding this view, my committee desire to point out that under present arrangements the whole management of the school must, by force of circumstances, be carried on by correspondence with the Education department in Wellington, and that under such conditions it goes without saying that close supervision is impossible. Visitors to the school appointed under present regulations simply have the name of visitors, without power in the least to act as a committee of advice or control in regard to the internal conduct of affairs in the school, such as they ought in the light of reason and common sense to have, leaving out the fact that the scope allowed in the matter of appointments precludes the hope of their forming a practical working committee or board for the purpose. My committee, therefore, on behalf of the board, beg to again submit the matter for your favourable consideration, believing as they do that the appointment of a comparatively small number of supervisors over the internal management of the school—a due proportion of representatives of the same to be appointed by the Government, and a due proportion by the board—would be productive of satisfactory results, without detriment to the Education department in the exercise of its legitimate and proper functions. Finally, my committee are of opinion that the board should either be granted the measure of control they ask foror else be relieved altogether from responsibility, pecuniary or otherwise, in connection with the support of Industrial School children.—l am, *c -> P- Black, Secretary.

This having been approved of by the committee, the following reply was read":— Department of Education, „„ „ Wellington, October 14. Ike Secretary Charitable Aid Board, Dunedin. Sir,—l have the honour, by direction of the Minister for Education, to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 4th October. I am instructed to propose that your board appoint a committee of advice, with power to give advice to the manager of the Caversham Industrial School — lam, &c, W. J. I-labeks! Mr Green said that the answer read was enough to irritate any public body that endeavoured to perform its duties, as the board did. A correspondence on this subject had been going on for the last two years, and the board had been repeatedly put off iv a stereotyped manner. They were now aske.d to repeat and endorse the farce—if he might call it by that name—already perpetrated. When they applied before for representation of the kind desired, Mr Solomon and Mr Robin were appointed visitors, and he (Mr Green) would ask whether those gentlemen were able to do any good as the result of that appointment. If the course indicated by the department was adopted the committee appointed would simply be able to tender advice, which could not*be carried out without instructions from Wellington ._ He felt indignant that, after this lapse of time since they first asked for representation, such a serious question should be dealt with in the manner in which it was by the department, aud he felt inclined to move that it was a pity the time of the board and of the officers should be taken up with such a letter as the one just read.

Mr Miller could s?vy from experience that the visiting was a farce, not a shilling could be spent without authority from Wellington. The position of a visitor was simply nothing at all. There was no power, and there was nothing that he could do. Some three or four months ago Mr Habeas wrote to him asking him to take a more active interest in the institution. He replied that a visitor could do no good, and asked Mr Habens to define what a visitor's duties were. The speaker in the end gave a sort of promise to assist, as far as he could, but he held that the board, as a large contributor, should have some direct control, and he approved of the letter sent to the Minister. Mr Hardy said the Minister's answer was the iivst they had received, and he thought they should 1-egard ifc favourably, and should say what they did want. To have something definite was what they wanted. After further slight discussion, Mr Gueex moved, Mr Hakdy seconded, and it was carried—" That the letter from Mr W. J. Habens, secretary to the Education department, bearing date October 14 inst., be received, and we beg to express our regret that the application made for representation in proportion to the amount contributed has not been' granted. We therefore again urge our application ; decline to appoint a committee, which we consider would have neither power nor control ; and further recommend that the suggestion made by Mr Miller when in Wellington is in our opinion fair and reasonable, and this board have a right to expect compliance therewith—viz., that the school be placed under a board of control, said board to consist or five—three to be appointed by the Government and two by this board." REQUISITIONS. In connection with the Benevolent Institution requisition, LGOO 7s, for the month of October, an interim payment of LSOO had been made and the balance was ordered to be paid. The requisition from the Female Refuge, amounting to Lll 13s, for September, was passed for payment. Ot the requisition by the Industrial School, amounting to Llll9 2s lOd, it was decided to pay L2OO,