CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2369, 27 July 1899, Page 9

CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Charitable Aid Board, held on Thursday afternoon, was attended by Messrs Chisholm (chairman), Haynes, Hazlett, Baxter, Morgan, Samson, and Begg. The debit balance at the bank was reported to be about' £2oo. The Chairman drew attention to the fact that several of the contributing local bodies had not paid anything since the beginning of the financial year, and the list showed these to be Alexandra, Cromwell, St. Kilda, Maori Hill, West Harbour, Milton, and Roslyn. This difficulty, the Chairman said, cropped up every now and again, and was caused by the fact that before being able to make an estimate of the amount to be paid, the valuation had to be submitted. The local bodies holding to these returns placed the board in the position of not being able to lake any legal steps in the matter. Mr White, the board's solicitor, had suggested that the best way out of the difficulty would be for the board to send to Wellington and get the returns sent in from the local bodies. By that means they would be got very much earlier — by the second month in the year. These returns being got would place the board in the position of being able to enforce their claims. Mr Miller thought the board had, in the past, been in the habit of getting the valuations from Wellington, and he fancied the board would find it nearly as difficult to get them that way as from the local bodies. He did not think the local bodies could give them to the board till they got them from the Government. So long as one of the local bodies failed to send in its return Government would not forward the others. The Chairman said the Icral bodies did not show much dilatoriness in Beading in their valuations to Wellintgon. Another way of getting over the difficulty, suggested by Mr White, was that the board should exercise its rights, and as soon as they got the returns and were able to make claims, should demand the payment of the whole in one sum. Probably one or two experiences of that kind would Bharpen the local bodies up. Members would see that there was no reasonable excuse for the delay in paying. Eoslyn could pay just as well now as in September, and the same remark applied to others. Mr Miller : Roslyn never has paid except at the point of the bayonet, and many have agreed to pay on the previous year's valuation. The Chairman : Yes, many did adopt that principle. Mr Miller moved that the secretary write to the local bodies in arrear asking them to pay at once, or the board would, when the valuation was struck, be compelled to make them pay in one sum. Mr Hazlett said they- could get the valuation front Wellington, and then take the steps suggested by the solicitor with those who hung back. Mr Begg, who came in at this stage, said there never had been a demand for payment sent to Roslyn. The Chairman : The other local bodies get over that difficulty by paying on last year's valuation. Mr Bcgg : No claim was sent. There Is no trouble. The money is ready when it is wanted. It was resolved that steps be taken to get Ihe valuations from Wellington, and that the secretary write the local bodies that if their payments were not made in terms of the circular Rent out, that, immediately on receipt of the valuations, the board would demand payment of its annual claim in one amount — aecordiag to the act. It was mentioned that Messrs Clark and Green were not present because the notices of the meeting sent out had not reached their hands. The following requisitions were approved and passed for payment : — Benevolent Institution, £550 (£IOO under the estimate) ; Female Refuge, £30; Auckland Industrial School, £4 4s 6d ; South Dunedin Industrial School (St. Vincent de Paul), £57 4s; St. Mary's Industrial School, Nelson, £123 16s 6d.