BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION TRUSTEES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12425, 7 August 1902, Page 8

BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION TRUSTEES.

The usual weekly meeting of the Benevolent Trustees was held yesterday afternoon, when there were present Messrs P. Trescder (in the chair), R. M. Clark, R. Wilson, and AV. Talboys. * - ' 1 •Accounts to the amount of £517 2s Gd were passed for payment. The Secretary reported that the outdoor relief book for the month oi July showed 320 cases (130 men, 131 women, and 553 children), at a cost of £105 4s per week, as against for July, 1901, 297 cases (IQO men, 219 women, and 547 children), at a cost of £91 8s Gd per weekequivalent to an increased cost at the rate of £700 per annum on last year. The Patea and Wanganui Charitable Aid Board wrote asking the co-operation of the Benevolent Trustees in pressing upon the Government the urgent necessity of legislating for amendments to "The Births, and Deaths Act, 1875" and "The Destitute Persons Act, 1894," with the view of ascertaining the paternity of all illegitimate children, and of compelling the putative fathers to make provision for the maintenance of such children.— Mr R. M. Clark said that the matter was a deliciue one, which required consideration. There was a possibility of a man who was Quite innocent being branded for life under a drastic law.—Mr R. Wilson said that, while the matter required consideration, he thought the trustees should support the proposed amendments.—Mr Talboys said that he was not prepared to give an opinion on the matter straight away,-Consideration of the letter was accordingly deferred until the next meeting. ' Secrcto >' r6 Porled that, in accordance with the trustees' decision, he had endeavourco to procure a passage to Tasmania for the msn in the institution who had lately come from that State, but the Union Company had icfiisctl to carry the man as a passenger. He had written to the company for the reason of this

refusal, and had received from the general mancger the following reply:—"One reason for declining to book this man's passage was because we had received advice from the other Side that if he were landed there lie would likely be unable to support himself, and his maintenance v/oiikl become a cluirgc upon us. The Tasmanian Restrictions Immigration Act, clause 4, sub-section 11, stipulates that the immigration into 'iVsniauia is prohibited of any person being a pauper or likely to become a public charge. If the young man can produce a certificate issued by the Collector of Customs at Hobnrt permitting him to return to Tasmania we shall have nothing more to say in the matter, and shall be glad to boo* him to that port as requested." The Secretary said _ that ho had consulted' the trustees' solicitor Cll the point, and had received a letter from Messrs G. and A. Cook stating that tli'ey leared that the ease did not come within th° provisions of any of tlio ■ laws of tho colony restricting the carriage mid landing of passengers from .other countries and colonics. Under'the Tasmanian act a penalty of £ 100 is imposed on the master and owners of auv vessel landing a passenger in breach of this act, and as the Union S.S, Company have received notice from Tasmania lhal this man comes under the description of* a restricted immigrant under the law of the colony,. they did not think that the comnany could be compelled to ship the man to Tasmania as a passenger. The case seemed to be one which should he reported to tho Colonial Secretary, as the uian had evidently been shipped away from • Tasmania'by his relatives or friends with a view of casting the burden of his maintenance on some other person or community, and some further power was required to meet cases of this descriotion.—lt was decided that the correspondence be forwardetUo the Colonial Secretary, and the matter be referred to him.-Twenty-one cases of relief were dealt with, i and the meeting terminated.