SOUP KITCHEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2210, 9 July 1896, Page 11

SOUP KITCHEN.

A soup kitchen, uuder the auspices of the Women's Franchise League, wad opened in newly- acquired preoaisos ia Hmover stoct on Friday ab noon. Last year tho leagna had secured rooms ia Stafford 'street, but owing to their unsuitabiliby it wits deoidad to ronb the building they now occupy. Owing to tha extreme mildness oi the winter up to tha present! time, but particularly on account; of the improved abate of tha labour market, the kitchen was opeaed this year a month later tlitn last, and it is satisfactory to learn thab the leaguo anticipate th*t neib year the necessity for audh an in&bitutiou will disappear entirely. On tbe occasion of the opening yesterday the Rlv. Me Sauuders, Mr J. W. J*go, Mr R. N. Adams, and Mr Thbm«s Walker (temperance leofaror), were present, besides a number of the msmbera of the league, including the president, - Mrs Hafctou, Tho visitors were each mpplied with a bo?rl of the excellent soup, which was all tho more' icliohed on aocoutib of the bracing weather. After the premises were inspected, Tho Rev. Mr Saunders was called upon, aud said that ho aooepted with very gre*t pleature the iavitation that vm etteudad to him to ba present that day. He confessed, however, that his feelings were somewhat mingled with regreb that toe necessity for the opening of a eonp kitchen iv DuneJia should exist,!, and he thought the Wotnau's Franchise League deserved well of the community for the work they hid undertaken in this direction la^t year and the work they were beginning thit year. He was pleased to hear from Mrs Hg'.ton that there was not this year the same necessity for a soup kitchen as there was last year, and thab tuoh was tbe oaie would - only naturally he anticipated because on looking round it would be seen there was a certain improvement in the building trade, while coloaully speaking there had been a good h»rve»t, toe price c? wool had gone up, and in - the north there was a boom in gold miniog. However, those who were ia touch with tho poorer olasses were convinced that the necessity for a soap kitchen' did exist— although, v he said before, the necessity was happily nob (0 greet as ib was hit year, — aqd had undertaken this good work. He hoped sinoerely, aud ha had no doubt those present shared ia that hope, that the soup kitchen had not oome to etuy. The soap kitchen was designed to meet a special need, and not the ordinary conditions of poverty. Their object was not to lower selfdependence or parental responsibility. " He hoped the time was coming when they would have a changed social condition through Sooialism, or the realisation of aosae other bright dream, when provision would ba made for everybody without in any way pauperining those who, at anyrate under the piwnb condition of things, were unable to ' find the n?ces'itirß of life. Under tbe present social conditions tho introduction of a public coup kitchen endangered the self-dependenoe of the people, but tbe neoofsity- would arise to long as poverty existed, and poverty he expected would exist till a new social condition was established. However, he hoped th»b. in Dunedin, at all events, the necessity for a soup kitohen would eventually dtiappear. Meanwhile the work that was now being carried on dejerved tbe help and sympathy ol the citizens, who no doubt would furnish the financial aid that might bs required. Mr JiGo'naid that he could not add anything to what bad been said by Mr Saunders. He had tasted the t oup, aud declared it to be very good. He was sure participation of it from U»y to day would ba enjoyed whether it be productive of evil, as suggested by Mr Saunders, or whether it be productive of gocd. The object of the promoters of the kitchen was a worthy one, and was deserving of support. Mr Thoiljs Walker, being called upon, stated thit he was a little surprised to read that a soup kitchen was to be opened in Duuedin thab day. He thought when he was leaving Sydney thab ha was coming to » piosperou<» land— a land at least where soup kitchens; were unkuown. However, he found th»t poverty was universal. One fact, howevc, aVout this soup kitchen struck him as being peculiar. In Sydney the soup 'kitchens were coaductid on » purely mechanical oystemi Thab air of kindly feeling which takes away th« stigma attached to the gift did 1 not exist. The effect of the kitchen there, he thought--, wa» to create a lob of dep radatiorJ, and bo take away th» character of self-rtl."ance. Here, he was convinced, the influence of the ladie3 did away with those evil effects. He was sure the dispensation oE charity by women could never degrade a man. On the contrary, it would have an euobling and elevating influence, and would revive what independence was left in a man whom misfortune compelled to seek for charity. It was painful to see the necessity whioh existed ia Dunedin for suoh an institution, and he trusted thab instead of two months the labours of the ladies would be terminaied*in one moath. Mrs Tbainok said respeobing those men that came to the soup kitchen that ehe did nob' think their self-dependence was lessened, but that, iv faob, last year she had noticed a decided improvement in the men .as time went on. ' Nexb year the league hoped th»b bhe necessitf for a soup kitohen would disappear altogether.' Ou the motion of Mr R N. Adams a vote of thanks to Mr Saunders c!o3ed the proceedings.

Four girl*, ranging from 14 to 16£ years, were charged at Wellengton on Thursday as vagrants. The police said they were part of a gang who frequented Chinamen's houses. One, who admitted staying at a Chinaman's for some days, was sentenced to a month's imprisonment?. Mr Martin said that although she wm over the regulation age he would try and have her placed at Burnham.

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