"AT THE BENEVOLENT."

Otago Witness, Volume 25, Issue 2321, 25 August 1898, Page 59

"AT THE BENEVOLENT."

STUDIES EN CHARITABLE A!D.

By The Sociocrat.

For variety of human incident, facts stranger than fiction, pathetic life stories, studies from the actual along the highways and byways, the broad and the narrow paths, for experience of the innocence that is and those who once were innocent, for woes real and imaginary — for experience in every phase of life, — not even the Police Court is so rich in supply as is a sitting of Benevolent Trustees.

The secretary reads a long list of " urgent cases assisted since the trustees met last week" — rations for this one, help towards the rent of another, the adoption of an orphan, putting a woman in charge of some children whose mother was in the hospital and whose father is always helplessly drunk. These' cases have been arranged for by the chairman and secretary, and the trustees ratify the actions taken, and deem them well done. Then comes the hearing of special cases calling for open examination, said " cases" being in waiting in the ante-rooms. The secretary — veritable living tome on the " hard cases," ne'er-do-weels, spongers, and deserving poor of the city — rapidly recounts the records of each applicant, where he or she hails from, how often they have had hfilp, their frailties, failings, families, connections, earnings, and such like particulars. It is conspicuously noticeable that when help is needed it is the women-folk who personally make the application. The writer has attended at least half-a-dozen recent meetings, and heard some 40 or 50 family pleadings, yet not one h?s been represented by the male side of the house ; it has been the mother or a daughter, in some cases even a grandmother, or " the woman from next door" — but never the father or son. Speaking of large or poor families, a colonial medical man once said that if men had to do their share of child-bearing, the number of children in families would never exceed three — the wife would bear the first, the husband the second, the wife might be fool enough to bear a third — " but nary another would the husband bear." So would it prove in charitable aid ; if it were made compulsory that the men-folk should submit the application before the trustees — well, a large number would sooner work than starve. They would never a second time stand the examination which, in their cowardliness, they make their women-folk undergo.

"There's the case of Mrs O'Bren," says the secretary. " The trustees last week stopped her rent owing to information received to the effect that she has three daughters at home who are old enough to go to service. The mother works, and the girls go out at all hours to dances and socials."

"What are we doing for the family?" asks the clergyman. "We grant them rations for six — five children and the mother — and pay 6s a week towards the rent. Mrs O'Bren has come down to interview the trustees, and is now waiting in the ante-room."

" Show her in, Mr Secretary," says the chairman.

Mrs O'Bren comes in. She is fine and large. She is familiar to the assembly, and knows each trustee by name, especially "Your Worship, Mr Chaarmaan." "Well, Mrs O'Bren," begins the chairman. "What's your trouble now?"

"Sure you know, your Worrship. It's about the rinfc. You've stopped it." 1 ' " Yes." "Whoy?" " How many of a family have you?" "Oi've had six — foive with me and one the Lord tut." " How old is the eldest?" " She'll be 16 next Fibbiy,'* "And the next?" * Just turned 14 .«'• *And the next?" ** She's an ioyalid,^

I " How old?" j "She's been dilicate for years." ! "Is she old enough to help in the house?" " JSTo ; she's 12 and a-half, and can't do a thing." "And the rest of the family?" ' " Oh, they're kinchins, and go to the Convint school." I "Do you pay for them?" "Oh no ; the Fathers are very good, and do not ask me to pay." ! "Do your two eldest girls go out at ' night?" i " Well — yes — of course — sometimes." ! "Do they go to dances and socials?" j " My eldest has been out once or twice." " Not oftener?" : "Well, sometimes." "And ihe other?" " She goes out sometimes, too. But ' phat are the girls to do? They must go out sometimes, mustn't they?" "What do they do in the house?"' "They attind to the house whin O'im working. Shure, if it wasn't for them taking care of tho house, how could Oi work?" " Why don't you send the two girls out to service?" " Lord ! thin they would have to keep themselves — and phat better off would they be?" "Do they earn anything now?" "No." j "What do you earn — what is your aver- j age?" " Oi aarn an average of £1 a week, and moighty harrd worrk to do it." " What do you do?" " Washing. But phat for do you ask me all these questions?" (The strong woman wept and knuckled her eyes.) " Oi'm a poor hard-working widow-woman, and because I haven't a mansake to help -me you are down on me. Whoi don'c you question those who deserve these questions? You all tal-e advantage of a lor.c, hardworked widow-woman, and " | "All right — all right, Mrs O'Bren," said ; the chairman, trying to stop her torrent of ( | talk. " Just step into the next room, and \ i'wo'll see what we can do for you." j The woman retires. "Well, gentlemen, what is your will? ; We are advised the girls are older than she ! says they are, and that they axe out a great deal more than they should be at right." " Oh, but girls must go out," said the clergyman. " How can they find husbands otherwise? If a young fellow asks them to go to a, dance, must they refuse because they receive charitable aid?" " l ; es, that's all very pretty," said the trustee from the suburbs ; " but these girls should be earnivg the money we have paid towards the rent." "What do you say, Mr Secretary?" " I think that one, if not both, of the girls should be out at work." " ; After discussion, they decide to continue the rations, but adhere to the stoppage of the rent. | " Come in, Mrs O'Bren," calls out the ' chairman. And he reports to her the decision. " That's what the trustees have decided." | "Is that your decision, gentlemen?" she asks, looking at each in turn. " Yes," responds the chairman. " Thin God help yez ! That's how you ' treat a widow- woman ! Well, thin, if ye won't help me wid the rint, Oi'll not have your rations. I don't want your rations. Rations, indeed ! It's the rint Oi wanted. I won't have your rations." ; " Very well. Mrs O'Bren. That's all tlie trustees* can do for you. Good afternoon, j Next, Mr Secretary." _ j The woman retired thoughtfullj 7 - into the . next room. | "I think she repents of her hastiness," I presently remarked the clergyman, who had j the seat nearest the door. t The reply came from the woman (who could not have overheard the remark). "Oi don't want your rations— Oi won't take your rations !" she called out, and then j she flounced out into the street. Then followed in succession a small, thin woman, who asked for boots for a large small family. The husband was out of work, baby had had the measles, and four children could not go to school because they had no footgear. They got the boots. Two women had a dispute concerning some money paid by the trustees for attention to some children, and the trustees had i to adjudicate. One of the women was ; threatened with "the police," and she re- | torted that she would go at once and " see a lawyer." An old man, without chick or child in the colony, pleaded for a place in the Home, " for the weather was biting cold." He was given a pass for the rest of the winter. In came a youngish man wearing a hurried look. " Well, Mr Listle?" "Well, sir, I've got work in the country. A job at waiting in a hotel. The train goes at ' 4 o'clock." "Why, it's 10-to now!" " Yes, sir. You have been helping me lately. I haven't got a stiver. I thought you might help me with the train fare, and I'll be able i>~- *t:«ifc work in the morning." "Why, cmtai.nly — eh, gentlemen?" " Certainly." " Here, Mr Secretary, push along an order far him at once. Now, hurry up, or you'll miss your train." " Thanks, gentlemen ; you have been very good to me." "That's all right — hurry up." And when 4 o'clock struck several of the trustees opened their watches, and wondered aloud whether "the poor devil had caught his train."

In no country in tho world are infectious diseases so frequently mortal as in Russia ; Children especially suffer, and diphtheria and smallpox literally decimate villages and country towns. When the little boy was saying Ms catechism, they asked him what was the chief end of man. He said: "The end what's got the hat on." You do get the bald truth from youngsters at times. Ask a child, for instance, what's good for coughs and colds: "Why, ■Woods's Great Peppermint Cure, of course." They know; all the New Zealand youngsters , ! of four years old and upwards know, that* !