CHARITABLE AID.

Otago Witness, Issue 1847, 15 April 1887, Page 12

CHARITABLE AID.

With reference to the circulars upon this subject issued by the Bruce and Maniototo counties, the Buller County Council have passed the following resolutions, which will be considered by the Dunedin City Council at next meeting : — 1. That neither the present system, as embodied in the statutes, nor the proposal of the Bruce County Council can be considered satisfactory. 2. That in any System established for the maintenance of the hospitals and charitable institutions of the colony, the charge should fall principally upon the more wealthy classes throughout the colony, and not, a* at present, upon localities in proportion to population, and upon persons irrespeo tive of " the measure of sacrifice." 3. That to give effect to the foregoing, a sum say equal to two-thirds of the amount required for hospitals and charitable aid should be levied by the Colonial Government upon property and incomes » 4. That the sum so raised should be divided pro rata according to population between the boroughs and county councils of the colony, making them thereupon responsible for the entire administration and maintenance of hospitals and charitable institutions. In explanation : Under a system stich as sketched in the above resolutions, several points of great importance would be gained .- Ist. The charge would fall upon those best able to bear it, and be, uniformly distributed. , 2nd. In expenditure the incentive to economy would not be wanting, as the surplus requirement would be provided'entirely out of local taxation. 3rd. The additional cost' and inconvenience of separate boards of management,- as at present in operation, would be dispensed with. -, . • • "4th. The administration would be in the bands of the representatives of the ratepayers, who would be required to bear the extra cost in case of bad management or waste. sth. The distribution of the capital sum would be upon an uniformly fair bas 8. Statistics show that the greater the population, the greater proportionate number of the poor and tick.