AUCKLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2106, 5 July 1894, Page 14

AUCKLAND NEWS NOTES.

(Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) Auckland, Jane 28. ABUSING CHARITY.

A curious case was mentioned in discussion at the Charitable Aid Board some time ago. A woman who was in receipt of rations was believed to be becoming imbecile, and Bhe was living in such a state of wretchedness and filth that the sanitary inspector intervened and she was sent to the Costley Home. The visiting officer, Mr Strathern, has since ascertained that, m addition to the freehold house in which she lived, she had £145 in one of the banks. The magistrate has granted a warrant for the board to attach the money, and the board have also charge of the dwelling. Funds and the property will be made chargeable with her maintenance, so that the ratepayers will be relieved to a considerable extent.

A PROTEST. Dr T. B. Eenderdine made his annual proIj^*** ll6 Magistrate's Court to-day against the Public Library being kept open on Sabbath. He was summoned for £1 0a 3d rates due to the City Council. Dr Kenderdine admitted that the rates were due, but said he cook this course as a protest against the library being open on the Sabbath. J. B. Stoney, clerk, stated that this was a yearly occurrence. His Worship (Mr H. W. Northcroft) said, he must give judgment for plaintiff for the amount claimed, with costs 6s. He suggested to defendant that it would be better to spend the 6s in charity each year rather than go to law. Dr Kenderdine replied that perhaps it might be, but he had always objected in this way.

, r June 29. A case came before the committee of the Charitable Aid Board yesterday which illustrates the beauties of our colonial charitable relief system. The applicant for relief was a man in middle life and average health with a wife but no family dependent upon him. He has a grown-up family of three sous and a daughter in Australia— one of the former single,— but they do not, according to his statement, assist their parents in any way. His New Zealand record is very instructive, and is verified by himself to the chairman and visi ting officer. He arrived from Melbourne at the Bluff 10 months ago, and could get no work. He proceeded to Danedin on foot, receiving aid as he went along from the benevolent. He was a week in the Caversham Institution, and went on to Christchurch, and was in the home there a week and a patient in the hospital for three weeks. He went on to Wellington, and was in the home there for a month. He then returned south to I nver cargill in October, staying in the home till the steamer for Melbourne sailed, when the Invercargill board paid his passage back to Melbourne. Having kindly recollections Gf a colony which had treated him so well, ho decided to revisit New Zealand, bringing his wife with him, and arrived in Auokland from Sydney early in February last. A fortnight afterwards he applied for relief, but was refused by the board at its subsequent meeting. He now applies for relief again for himself and wife. The committee, after such a record, have apparently come to the conclusion that he is mapter of the situation, and they have granted rations for himself and wife till the cheap steamer comes round again, when they have agreed so pay the passage of the happy couple back to Sydney. As this sturdy beggar appears to navigate the colonies on the "great circle system," it is just possible he may "bob up serenely " at the Bluff once more, and do the grand tour of the colony. The Herald says : — " The feeling in town yesterday was very strong in reference to the votes given by some of the Auckland members, in regard to the case of the Bergeant-at-Arms. For years public opinion has been strengthening against merely party votes. We cannot understand the action of Mr Crowther. He was in a position to be independent ; he boasted of his independence, and of his intention always to give honest and conscientious votes. If he sits in Parliament for 20 years he will never give a more absolutely party vote than he did on Wednesday, The Bame thing may be said of Mr R. Thompson. When Mr Crowther again comes before his constituents he will have to ' justify his vote on its merits, not on the necessities of party. As to the Disqualification Act passed to maintain the purity of Parliament, and to prevent a Ministry holding oat promises of reward to members with the effect of corrupting them, it had better now be abolijhed. It exists only when it suits the Ministry to regard it. If they find it convenient they can appoint any member to an office of profit at any time. They have only to call upon their majority to set aside the law, and there is no more trouble. It iB obvious that in these circumstances the law had better be wiped from the Statute Book." July 2. A DOLEFUL TALE. A young man who recently went to Sydney from Auckland to try and obtain work as an accountant, writes to a friend here a most doleful account of his non-success, having utterly failed to obtain work at his own occupation or in any other oapacity. He states that things are ever so much worse than in New Zealand, and that it is hopeless to expect work there without Sydney references. He is coming back to Auokland at the first opportunity, ana sends ahead warning to others who may ba tempted to search for work in tho sister colony •