CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2251, 22 April 1897, Page 12

CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

A meeting of the committee of the Charitable Aid Board, held on Thursday, was attended by Messrs J. R^bin (chairman), H. Gourley, D. Harris Hastings, H. F. Hardy, C. Haynes, J. Hszlett, H. Clark, J. Green, and R Cnisholm.

The Secretary of the Benevolent Institution Trustees wrote as follows :—: —

In reply to your letter of the 16th March, I am directed to inform, you that the trustees estimate the total exoen'hture of the iustitutioa for the year ending 31st March, 1893, at £l\,7o(f:* Receipts from sources other than your board are estimated at £1200, leaving the sum of £10,500 to be provided by your board. This is £757 (is 3d leas than was received last year. The trustees ulso direct me to ask for a further sum of £900 towards the erectioa of a luindry, the old one having been condemned by the inspector of asylums aarl ita removal being absolutely necessary ; in addition to which it is much too small for the requirements of the institution. A sketch of the proposed building (approved by De MacGregor) is forwarded for your board's inspsction. The trustees wish me to point out that since the act came into force in 18S5, although several thousand pounds have been spent on buildings, only £o'oo has been asked for and received from the Charitable Aid Board.

Mr Hardy said it was very gratifying to see that the Benevolent Trustees were apparently cutting down their expenses ab every meeting. He was quite prepared for a smaller request than was vow made. As regarded the application for £900 for a new laundry it aeemsd to him a tremendous lot of money for such a thing.

The Chairman said the trustees asked for £10,500. The board were overdrawn on their account; £757 6* 3d. What they' required to levy for the Benevolont Institution was £12,157, as against £10,500 last year. He might say that he had the amounts that the trustees had spent for the last four months put together, and the average was £693 12 s 6d per month. That amount multiplied by 12 would give £8323 10s for a year. Tne board had not got all the estimates in yet, and if there was no objection he would suggeit that, instead of considering the estimates at present, they should refer them to a small commitcea to call a meeting whenever the estimates were in.

Mr Hastings thought the course suggested was a proper one to adopt. The estimates wanted a good deal of inquiring into, and the question of the laundry also wanted a good deal of consideration.

The Chairman said so far as the laundry was concerned he wondered that the Benevolent Institution had done with the present one so long us it had. He would move—" That »

small committee be set up to make iuquiries into the estimates of tho various bodies and bring up a report at noxt-, meeting."

Mr Hastinos seconded the motion.

Mr Haynes expressed his surprise that the B»uevolenb Trustees had requisitioned the board for so much money. Last year they a^ked for £500 less, their estimate being based on a considerably increased expenditure. How they h»d arrived at the amount now aeked for was a mystery to him. With regard to the laundry the trustees had been considering that for a long time, bub had postponed the matter owing to want of funds. He, however, thought that £900 was an.excessiva amount to ask for. They did nob want such an elaborate lauudry a<j it was proposed should bo erected. He should think that about £500 would be ample for the purpose.

MrHAZLKrr thought the sooner they began to curtail tbe expenditure afr the Benevolent Institution the hotter. The buildings and everything in conneotion with the institution vcero quite fib for any place in the colony. No doubt the laundry was necessary, but, as he said before, the sooner they began to curtail the expenditure in connection with the present buildings and got away from the existing site the betber. He thought they should buy a farm somewhere out ab Mo*gi«l and remove the inmates oub there. It would pay both the Government and the contributors of the institution well to do that. If the present site was properly looked after and sold the proceeds would go a long way towards paying for a place iv the country. Then when any able-bodied men came to the trustees for relief the trustees could send them out on the farm and pay them a small sum of moniy for the work they did. He believed that the farm would pay for itself. He was entirely against continuing, the expenditure in connection with the present in-ititu-tion. They might make somß temporary repairs ; but the sooner they endeavoured to ret away from Caversham aud further out into th.9 country the better for the institution. " It was a great pity that so much money had been laid oub ab Caversham.

Mr Green agreed very largely with what Mr Hazlett said. If the board got their rights they would have the land necessary to? a farm. Soma years ago the Provincial Council took the gams view of this matter that Mr Hazlett did now, and set aside a piece of land ab Seacliff for lunatic asylum and charitable aid purposes. The general Government had taken possession of the land, bub they were no 1 ; occupying anything like onethird of it. Whether the land wa3 in a good position or not ha did nob know ; but there was no doubt about the quality of ifc. Ho, however, was very much afraid that whatever action tbe board might fake they would nob get what; really- belonged to them, and what they ou^ht to have boen in possession of long ago. But if they got a p'ece of laud as was suggested by Mr Hazlett they would still require a home like the present one at Caversham for old and incapable people. M»ny of the presont inmatei could nob earn a living — iodoed some of them could scarcely feed themselves. Bub if the board got possession of the land which belonged to them, abandoned outdoor relief, and set those who were getbing such relief to work, he believed it wonld be an improvement on the present state of thiugs. Tbe motion was then put and carried, and Messrs Haynes, Hazlett, Chiaholm, Hardy, and the chairman were appointed a committee to give effftct to the motion. Mr Ciiisholm said he thought something should be done to try and get a suitable piece of ground in connection with the Benevolent Institution. The matter had been talked about for ycara, and if it was consistent with the ' duties of the board — and he thought it was — he hoped that a. committee would be set up to inquire as to whether a suitable piece oF ground could be gob and report to next; meeting of the board.

Mr Gouhivey suggested that the matter should be referred to the same committee that had already beon appointed to make inquiries with regard to the estimate.

Mr Hardy s»id the coursp proposed by Mr Cinsbolm hud been recommended by him some years ago. He then communicated with Me John D&vie witb regard to a very suitable piecs of land about six or seven miles from Dunedin on the railway line. Hi did not know whether the land had been sold, bub he would make inquiries into tho matter.

Mr Gouijley's suggestion that the matter sTiould be referred to the previously appointed committee was then agreed to.

The Secretary of the Bennvolent Institution sent in a requisition for £875 for the maintenance of the institution for the month of April. Toe Chairman stated that he had paid £600 on account. His action in doing this was approved, and he was empowered to give a further cheque on account of the institution, if» necessary.

A requisition for £8 9s from the Burnham Industrial School was passed for payment.

A requisition for £720 was recived from the Caversham Industrial School, and the secretary was authorised to dmw s. cheque for £400 on account of the institution in the meantime, and to pay the balance when the funds were available.

A le^er was received from the County Council of Westland thanking the secretary for information forwarded to the chairman of tbat body with regard to the decision of the commisaionera re charitable aid matters.