OUR CHARITABLE AID.

Otago Witness, Issue 2205, 4 June 1896, Page 53

OUR CHARITABLE AID.

AN EXAMINATION. Fablic attention is from time to time drawn to the question of charitable aid for a period more or less brief, and then the subjecb is pretty well forgotten except by those^mmediately concerned in its administration, until the recurrent demand on the contributing bodies, with its effect upon the taxpayer, again brings the subject into prominence. There is in this nothing unusual or unaccountable. It is always the case that it is the monetary aspect of the matter that chiefly excites interest ; although, of course, the provision for charitable aid has a moral, not a financial basis. The helpless poor are not provided for as a matter of civic economy, but as' the outcome of oat civilisation, and especially of the Christian element within it. It is therefore becoming that the matter should be investigated, and its development recorded by other means than by tables of statistics or official reports, which latter are necessarily somewhat formal and largely statistical. Recognising this, a member of the stuff of this journal has made, as far as circumstances permit, a full, impartial, and dispassionate investigation into* this subject, and the results are now presented to the public These results it may be hoped will prove of interest, and even of some practical value. At least, some measure of success should be attained in informing the public of what is transpiring in connection with a very large outflow of public funds and the administration of an important, though somewhat sombre, department of the State. OHARITABLE AID. "Oharitable aid,' 1 as everyone knows, is the colonial equivalent for the relief of pauperism. The matter, under some name, has to be dealt with, and ita nomenclature is of trifling importance, excepting that the ohange indicates a disposition to deal gently with those who from whatever cause have become unfit to continue unassisted the battle of life. In the early days of settlement indigent poor did not exist in the colony. Of course there were struggling people, but they were- people struggling for a competence, not helplessly striving for a subsistence. It is a mistaken assumption, however, that of late years there has been any alarming increase in the number of poor people in Otago or that appreciably larger sums per capita have been granted to applicants for aid. As far back as 1886 the sum of L 6158 was distributed amongst some 2900 cases. .In 1888 no less . than 4050 obtained ' relief, but the expenditure per head was considerably less, amouuting, in all to L 7117. Last year 3201 cases received out-door relief within the Otago district, and so far this year the returns show there must be an increase. The increase last year on the year preceding waa 58, but the increase during 1891 was no less than 476 compared with the returns for 1893. It must, however, be remembered that during the severe winter of 1895 special efforts were made, and »the community most generously provided a relief fund, the expenditure of which must have diminished the direct claims upon the Oharitable Aid Board. The figures in connection with last year's expenditure have already been published, but it is justifiable repetition to point out that, inclusive of L 6584 expended on relief works, very nearly L 19.000 was swallowed up during 1895 in this district alone in providing for the destitute. This also includes the expenditure in connection with the Benevolent Institution, to which reference will be subsequently made. The expenditure on out-door relief alone last year was L 7698 18s, or about L 320 in excess of what was expended in this way daring 1894. Taking the average sum paid during the first four months of the current year, the allowance in the way of out-door relief amounts to a sum slightly under la ll|d per week to each individual on whose behalf it is granted — If 4s per week be allowed for adults the average sum granted towards the support of children amounts to 9d per child. The largest sum allowed to any individual is 53 weekly, and not many receive that by no means extravagant amount. Such grants can hardly be regarded as excessive, unless they were made in cases where assistance was not really needed. The out-door relief granted throughout England and Wales for the year for which statistics on the subject are at hand'amounted to L 4 11s B£d per head, while in this oharitable aid district the sums given come approximately to L 5 per head per annum ; so that, all things considered, the comparison U not UDiarottrable to tho administration 08

the Otago Board. 16 should also be borne in mind that the grants are not made in money, but entirely in orders for the necessaries of life, which are procured afe the most reasonable rates under contracts entered into with tradespeople for that purpose, and in the payment of rent. In addition to tha foregoing, there is little to chronicle respecting out-door relief here. 80 far as one can tell, the claim made by the trustees that every care is exercised in giving relief and that it is given grudgingly, in the sense that every effort is made to minimise the expenditure, seems absolutely correct. One very keen-sighted observer has admitted that he can find no fault, and that he has zealously endeavoured to rank as a fault finder. Of course without the expenditure of an*enormous amount of time no reliable investigation could be made regarding the individual cases of relief. There is obviously no extravagance in the amounts granted ; and there is nothing to justify an assumption that grants are made unnecessarily, or without due precautions being taken to prevent imposition. We may therefore pass on to the more easily Borutinised branch of relicf — that which i 8 administered under the immediate supervision of responsible officials,— the in-door relief. THE BBNEVOLENT INSTITUTION. The outward and visible sign of charitable aid is the institution at Oaversham, which was established some 23 years ago, "to relieve the aged, infirm, disabled, and destitute of all oreeds and nations, afford them medical relief, and minister to them the comforts of religion." For long years' these objects have been, and they still are, carried out— bo far as one can discover — with commendable zeal and integrity. There are at least ten Chinese among the inmates of the institution, and there is clearly no distinction made on account of creed or nationality. Daring recent years great additions and improvements have been made to the buildings, and almost evary yard of the 10 acres of land oh which they are situated is utilised. The original building, which certainly might have been built on a more suitable plan, since it is full of windy passages and staircases, is now used for the women in the institution, all the men being accommodated in the cottages or in the new separate wards. Eight or ten years ago two large two-storeyed wards were erected at the back of the first building. Thß accommodation was increased in 1894 by the erection of three series of wards further to the south, and last year by the addition of hospital wards. All these buildings are roomy, conveniently planned, well lighted, properly ventilated, and have snffioiont fireplaces, bo that they can be kept as warm as is desirable during any season of the year. The hospital wards in particular are remarkably good, but all the new buildings are in keeping with modern requirements as to heat, lighting, and ventilation. All these additions have been made out of funds provided by the trustees of the institution out of bequest? and donations and the subsidies upon them, and not to any extent from the contributions received from the Charitable Aid Board. The trustees now contemplate erecting a laundry, and this is an addition that is urgently required, for the place now used for the purpose is small, dark, and in every way unsuitable. Other minor improvements and alterations are also to be undertaken, and it is quite evident the requirements of the institution are not lost sight of by those whose duty it is to be vigilant and active respecting these matters. Another thing which tells favourably to the management of the institution is the fact that the ground surrounding the buildings, the unoccupied portions of the 10 acres, has been brought into a high state of cultivation. For many years this land lay waste, and it was taken for granted that it could not be profitably tilled. It was, however, some years since decided to make an experiment in market gardening, and the results are eminently satisfactory. Employment ia found in the garden for any of the inmates of the institution who are at all fit for this work. The work is done well, and the fact that it is done must be advantageous to those who do it, as well as beneficial to the institution. There Is, we are informed, so great an abundance of vegetables grown on the neatly and well tilled and drained plots within the grounds that after the institution has been supplied there ia a 'surplus sold to wholesale dealers in the olty. The garden is also used as a labour test for able-bodied applicants for out-door relief, orders being given for employment therein to such persons when seeking relief from the board. Its indirect value in this respect is probably by no means insignificant. A visit to the institution at Oaversham certainly revealed nothing to its discredit. So far as one could tell from a somewhat hurried inspection, the place is singularly well-conducted. This, it may be mentioned, is the opinion of Dr MacGregor, whose examination would be that of a highly qualified expert, and whose position, experience, and ability give much weight to his verdict. There is really not a great deal to be seen as one is conducted through the different buildings. The whole place was scrupulously clean, wholesome, and, so far as such an institution can be made, corafcrtable. The new wards are admirable, the rooms is the cottages bright and cosy, and the only fault to be found with the long room which the women occupy during the day is that, compared with other rooms, it is poorly ventilated. The want of efficient ventilation in this case and in one other — a room in one of the cottages — is due to two causes. In both cases the occupants object to the windows being opened, and the ventilators are old-fashioned and less efficient than those recently constructed. The wards at the time of the visit had but few occupants; and these comprised the wardsmen— lnmates who are fit for this work are appointed to take charge of the various wards — and a few of the" more helpless of 'the inmates who were either unable to get about, or so weak or crippled that to do so was not advisable. These sat round the bright lignite fires, conversing, or reading, or*quietly bearing pain with that species of stoicism which habitual suffering brings. A number of these men were crippled with rheumatism; others racked with bronchial affections ; one worn-out Hercules was fighting a severe attack of asthma 5 and almost without exception they were suffering frqn WrtiWTft moßHfrinnf maladies—

s old age. So far as one could jndgo there was not a case in the institution the exclusion of which could be justified. In the beds in the hospital wards there were cases that could not fall to excite strong feelings of sorrow and sympathy — poor old people, rapidly cearing 11 the silent land," and making the final stages of the journey with patience and resignation. In every instance, too, there was considerate attendance and care; while, of course, all have the benefit of medical skill for their relief. Leaving the hospital and the wards where the weaker oases were to be found, there seemed to bo amongst the inmates a good deal of quiet contentment. The most cheerful individual in the care of the institution is a man well advanced in years, who is totally blind, and who, having mastered the art of reading by touch, was quite pleased to give an exhibition of his skill. With reasonable pride he told how he had tried again aad again, and, having failed time after time, fearing further failure, had practised in secret until he could spell out the words. The book before him contained only the Gospel of St. John, but its bulk was twice that of a family Bible, and the other portions of Scripture filled a large box. Another inmate, a man who was well known on the goldfields I in the early days, was jubilant over the snug quarters be had come to occupy when old and crippled, and on its being mentioned that he was keeping the room too close he affirmed that it could not be better, and that it was the best room and occupied by the best men in the colony. It would be wrong to suggest that the cases mentioned were typical ; that would give too favourable an impression. The inmates generally were neither jubilant nor cheerful, nor could they be expected to be; but there was no discontent manifested by them, and beyond doubt they have much reason to be thankful for the care which is taken of them. A goodly number of men were assembled in the smoking room — some smoking, some playing cards, dominoes, and draughts, and others merely waiting about, but all were very old, feeble, crippled, or incapacitated in some way. Although the smoking room and the library are pretty freely used it is not the case that the inmates do no work. Those who are able to do so work in the garden and work well, while others undertake saoh duties as they are deemed fit to discharge, which consist mostly in keeping the place in order and in attending the more helpless oases. A good deal of sewing and knitting is done by the women, and some of the stronger of them do the washing. * All the needful making, cleansing, and repairing of clothes is done within the institution. It was somewhat surprising to find that all the sewing is done by hand, but the explanation of this is found in the fact that many of the female inmates can do little but sew, and it is advisable to find employment for them. The dietetic scale is what is usual in seen institutions, the food plain, wholesome, and sufficient, but certainly not luxurious. The tea prepared consisted of bread and butter and tea— good bread (cat in thick slices), wholesome batter, but nothing else, so that here at any rate there was no extravagance. The other meals are more substantial, but not more so than experience in similar institutions has proved to be needful, and they are provided with a due regard to economy; The only other fact which need be stated is that though the premises have been enlarged from time to time they are now practically full. Not more than 20 more oases could be provided for. There are at present within the walls of the Institution 193 men and 65 women as inmates, and of these some 40 men and 12 women require constant attendance and assistance. •CONCLUSION. From the foregoing aome idea may poasibly be formed of the extent and nature of the oharitable aid and of the methods and conditions of its administration. It appears from the official figures that the cost of indoor relief has been reduced within the last 10 years from 83 8d per week to 5s 3£d ; and that the amount of outdoor relief has not increased so largely as may be supposed during the same period. In 1886 the total amount distributed as outdoor relief was L 6158 8s 4d, in 1891 it was L 7595 2s sd, and last year it was L 7698 18s. It should also be remembered that since 1891 the cost of maintenance of the orphan children, some L3OO per annum, has been included in the outdoor relief. Then, taking the average per head for outdoor relief, it was in 1891 Is lOd per week, In 1892 Is 9d,in 1893 and 1894 Is lOd, and laet year it was Is lid. The sum does not seem large, and, if aid is needed, it is not easy to conceive how less than an allowance weekly of 4s for an adult and 9d for a child— the scale on which It is granted-^-could be of service. There is clearly no waste of public funds at the Oaversham Institution. If there is any loakage it must be in connection with the outdoor relief, and this must arise not from excessive grants, but wholly from allowances to people who are not really destitute; in other words, that the board and its officials have been extensively imposed upon, and a fraud upon the public Ib being perpetrated. There seems to be no other conclusion possible. Of suoh fraud there has hitherto been no proof, and really little suggestion. Should it exist, its I detection and exposure is something with , *vhich the contributing bodies), whose jecommendatlons are forwarded to the Charitable Aid Board, are not wholly unconcerned; and, indeed, it would be praiseworthy on the part of anyone to prevent what is intended for the relief of the poor being distributed as j premiums on fraud. In the absence of j imposition, the only fair conclusion is, j apparently, that the administration of charitable aid in this district is fairly vindicated by the figures and facts. !

The hospital returns for the past week are :— Remaining from previous week, 104 ; admitted ' during the week, 14 ; discharged, 15 ; deaths, nil ; — total remaining in the institution, 103.

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