CHARITABLE AID.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13945, 3 July 1907, Page 2

CHARITABLE AID.

QUESTION OF LOCAL DISTRIBUTION. A CONFERENCE AT MILTON. A oonferenco was held at tho County Council Chambers, Milton, yesterday forenoon to consider tho subject of looal distribution of charitable aid. Tho mooting was oonvened by tho Bruco County Counoil, all tho members of which; with tho exception of Crs'Begg and Noble, wore present, and tho Mayors of Milton and . Kaitangata (Messrs D. Rcid and C. E. Yates) and Cr C. Groy (Milton Borough Council) woro also present by Tho Chairman of tho County Council (Cr Mcwloy)- presided. Tho Chairman stated that, tho mooting had been convened for tho purpose of forming a combination of looal bodies in tho" county to 1 take over the distribution of charitable aid, and he detailed tho stops' that had . been taken by tho Cliaritablo Aid Board towards that object. Bruco County Council 'having elected to distribute its own charitable aid, it had been deemed advisable to invito the co-operation of Milton and Kaitangata Borough Councils for tho pnrposb of constituting a board to undertake tho matter. Tho-new arrangement would make no difference /in the amount of rates oollccted or in the amount of aid distributed; the county would receive just as inuoli as it had reociyed previously, tho only differeneo would bo that the county would have the control of tho distribution of charitable aid within its own district instead of having it delegated to a body SO miles away. Ho urged that tho now system should bo given a trial, and if it was found to bo unsuitable thoy could revert to tho old system again. Clutlia County Council had undertaken the distribution irrespectivo of tho co-operation of the Balclutlm Borough Council. Tho Bruco County Council considered it would ■lxj courteous to ask the boroughs to confer with it on tho matter, as it was thought tho local distribution could bo managod moro satisfactorily by a board.. Tho county representatives on the Charitable Aid Board were agreed that tho distribution of oharitablo aid by the Benevolent trustees in the past, was unsatisfactory, Mr 0. E. Yates (Mayor of Kaitangata) 6aid lie understood tho boroughs wore -included in tho countv, and lhat probably accounted for tho Charitablo Aid Board not sending a airoular to each of tho boroughs asking whother they approved of tho local distribution of aid or otherwise. The Chairman understood that the Charitable Aid Board had power to take tho whole matter over, and could delegate its powers to any other body to. distribute tho aid. The suggestion was to form a board for the purpose, consisting of four .members of. tho County Council and tho 'Mayors of Milton and Kaitangata. It would not bo an expensive matter, and , the board would not require to meet, perhaps, moro than once quarterly. Instead of having to scramble, for the loaves and fishes ■as at present, thoy would bo ablft to fix tho amount required, and would practically have it in their own hands. Mr Yates: If Milton and .Kaitangata Boroughs are included in the scheme, thoy have not tho power,of saying "Yes" or " No" to tho suggestion of taking over tho Jocal distribution,—they must simply fall in with it. Speaking 'for his borough, ho • had to say that there was, generally speaking, nothing to comililain o( in regard to tho distribution of aid by tho Benevolent trustees. Ilis borough got out perhaps a little moro than it paid in. It was quite right, however, that they all should havo a say as to tho amount each applicant for aid should receive. Tho Benevolent trustees in t.lio past had made a practice of reducing tho amount. applied for. If 12s 6d was applied for, it was reduced to 7s fid, and if 10s was asked for ! 5s was given. In a case wlioro a widow woman living in a lent with seven children applied for 15s only 7s was given, and it was not until he (Mr Yates) had put Iho wliolo circumstances of tho ease before the trustees that 12s 6d was granted, He was satisfied that; such instances as those would not occur ' under the local board, and was also satisfied that, although the County Council would havo a preponderating vote on the proposed board, such voto would not he used in an arbitrary or selfish manner. 110 was confident that if a. scale was fixed it would givo satistaetion. ••

Mr D. Eeid (Mayor of Milton) said Or Grey and himself had been delegated by the Borough Council to attend the meeting and stuto that their council was satisfied with the distribution of charitable aid by the Benevolent Trustees,'and that they did not wish any alteration in existing arrangement*. All tho requests put' before tho trustees had been attended to with one exception, and that one was of a trivial nature. lie thought the Jvaitangata widow caso referred to by Mr Yates would also have been treated differently in, the first instance if tho full facts had been placed before tho trustees. Ho long as expenditure was kept within reasonflblo bounds his council had no serious objection to Ihe

County Council taking over tho local distribution of aid; the county covered a wide aroa, and tho county councillors were in a

position to ascertain the requirements of applicants, and friction would not he likely to arise. But in tho caso -of boroughs it was different; the boroughs would be better off if an outside body had control. Everyone was known to everyone else in a small borough, and there was ,1 danger that impartial consideration would, not he given to all cases—lhat, local pressure and local sympathy,would cause more to lie given, perhaps, than was necessary or judicious.. At the .sa.mo time, ho'desired to say that the chairman of the Bruce County Council, in moving in this matter as he llad done, was actuated by the best intentions. Mr 0. Grav (Milton Borough Counoil) stated that the- dolomites from his! council wore tied by a resolution from that body to disagree with tho proposal. Speaking personally, however, ho had to soy that

since'ho had heard tho proposal of the chairman his own views on the matter had undergone a chnnge. He suggested that, as the Borough Council would shortly meet again, the matter .might he .deferred for further consideration at a future meeting, and in the meantime the Borough .Council could again consider' the subject. '

The Chairman said., that, to remove a possible misapprehension',' 'lie might say that tho moneys for.-.distribution would como from ono common .fund. Country members, on the . Charitable Aid Board were -unanimous in tho opinion that distribution was not as it should be,, and that it would be more satisfactory in local hands; tho only difference was a fear tint the rest would go up. He was satisfied 'here was nothing to fear from the l-.'.> mtingenoy. When he first took 111? uritlnr up, tho amount given to widows in the country was 5s por week, and it was onK after severe fighting that they had been able to get moro relief. So far as the boroughs and county were concerncd; Milkm Borough contributed £47 per annum to tho general fund,. and Bruce Countv Council contributed £339; Kaitangata Borough contributed a similar amount to that of Milton. It was right,, therefore. give the larger body more control on a 'ocal board than the smaller bodies had. The County Council could, go on without Mie consent of the boroughs. It would not do to have the smaller' holies distributing aid as well as tho larger bodies. The Charitable Aid Board desired to deal with larger bodies. • ' Mr Yates: Tt. is only courtesy that wo aro given representation at all. I may sav that Kaifangata Council is willing to fall in with the propyl of the Countv Council. After a short conversational discussion it was .resolved to adjourn the meeting for 19 days to allow Milton Borough Council to again consider the matter, the Chairman expressing a. hops that, tho borough would come in with the others.