CHARITABLE AID EOAAD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2179, 28 November 1895, Page 58

CHARITABLE AID EOAAD.

The regular monthly meeting of the Chantable Aid Board Committee was held on Thuisday afternoon, and \*as attended by Messrs Robin (chairman), Green, Clark, Monson, and Miller. lU.E HOARD AND TEE BENEVOLFNT TRUSTEES Before the question of the Bentvo'ent Institution requisition was brought up the Chairman said he presumed that the members present had read the report of the meeting of,the Benevolent Trustees. They appeared to have cast tome reflictfons on that board by saying that they were not paying up as they ought to do. The chairman and treasurer of the Benevol lent T imtees had called upon him (Mr Robin), and it eeemed that they had been labouring under a misapprehension, and that they were now very sorry for the statements they had made —the chaiimin more especially. They thought it would be better if he (the speaker) were to say f.b little about the matter as possible. They were rather annoyad about it. Mr Green said he had bean looking over the list of contributions from the local bjd;es, and he found that tha payments for the month of October were pretty well up. Of course there a few who had not yet paid, but he noticed 'that up to the end of September every contributing body had paid. They knew as practical men that moat of the county councils hi Id thsir meetings every mouth, and that might be the very best reason why the payments had not" been made for the present month. Ihe Chairman said the trustees appeared to be very much exercised over the increasing demands that werp being made upon them. They were aftaid( they might b9 £1000 overdrawn. Mr Miller said he agreed with the trustees that they were trying to carry on their work as economically as possible, but he thought they made a mistake in looking upon that board as their milch cow. The trustees had means behind them, having a considerable amount of property, while the board had only the contributions of the local bodies. He hoped they would no longer look upon the board as a milch cow. Mr GfIEEN said he was a member of the Benevolent Trustees at the present time, and the last speaker, bad also been a number of the same body. Mr Miller would agcee with him that when he w&8 there the trustees used to make the cldse3t inquiry into all the caies, but occasionally they found they were being imposed upon. Speaking as an old colonist, he (Mr Green) did not believe they had ever had such a hard time in this colony as at the present The exptnditure was growing, and the trustees were desirous of keeping it down as low as possible, but with the case 3 that came before them they could not Bee their way to reduce it. Ihe summer, however, was coming on, and he hoped they would be able to keep pretty near their estimate. Many people were able to maintain themselves la*t year, but ccu\d not do so this year without assistance. He (the speaker) looked upon the collapse of the Colonial Bank as one of the greatest misfortunes that had ever occurred in th-3 colony. He knew there were some or the old settlers who were able to kt ep up a very indifferent subsistence on their savings, but through tbe collapse of this bank they would not be able to do so now. They would have to depeud on the charity, of those who, fortunately, were not quite so low down. So far as Otago was concerned, the mismanagement cf that institution was the greatest blow some of the oldest settlers had had since it had been a provincial district. They were not out of the bash yet. Mr Miller said that a reflection had been cast upon the local bodies by one of the trus'eej saying that those bodies were behind in their payments. He had been speaking to aome% of members of the Bnlclutha County Council, and those gentlemen taid they had always paid up. The Chairman eaid the Balclubha Council' had owed nearly six mouths' contributions. Mr Miller : They have always paid when they were asked to do 'to. The Secretary : They were asked. Further discusiion eusued, in tJae course of which Mr- Green said that 14 small bodies, including road boards, had not paid for Octobar, and there were five who had riot yet paid for •November. * Mr Miller said he would have the matter looked into, and the disqustion then dropped, the Benevolent Institution's requisition of £1064 11s 5d being passed for paj meat. FEMALE REFUGE. The Female Refuge Building Committee reported that the improvements in connection with the Fema'e Refuge were now completed. The alterations consisted of the entire removal of that portion of the old buildings condemned in previous reports and the substitulion of substantial brick buildings arranged more in accordance with safety and comfort, including better accommodation for laundry work, and certain fittings and furnishings required in connection with the improvements. The grounds were in a very piimitive condition, and Mr Hardy especially paid particular attention to these, and at a comparatively small expense effected very great improvements. As to finance, it would be remembered that the Government, in view of the necessity for these improvements, granted the sum of £700, which wa3 further supplemented by a vote of £180 from the board's funds,' making ia all £880. The committee had devoted considerable care and attention to the work all through, and felt assured that the whole had been carried out in a satisfactory mancer. They believed that the institution was now in a condition to meet all requirements, with credit to the community, for .a considerable time to come.— Report approved.. : The requisition passed for payment amounted to £31. BURNHAM INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL. The requisition passed for payment amounted to £10 18a sd. BANKING ACCOUNT. The change of the banking account was noted, and it was decided to mention it in the annual report for the meeting to deal with as thej thought £&, >

f It was decided to hold the annual meeting on the 4£h prox* . ■ '. '.:"'. HOSPITAL BOARD. The meeting of the above board was thett held, and attended by the same geutlemen, with the exception of Mr Miller. The Hospital Trustees' requisition of £377 11s was" passed for payment, the Chairman remarking that it was strange the Benevolent;' Trustees were so much over their estimate and the hospital were able to keep under their estimate. It was decided to hold the annual meeting on the 4th prcx.