HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3315, 26 September 1917, Page 5

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Mr Talboys, in moving the adoption of the Benevolent Committee's report at the last meeting of the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, said he would like to draw attention to the increase in old-age pensions. In raising the keep of the old-age pensioners they were nevertheless not charging them anything like the actual cost, as totalled close on £2B per annum. It was intended to charge 10s per week; 2s a week would be refunded, as usual, for spending money, and 3s kept in reserve to the credit of the pensioner. When it was recognised that inmates got all that was necessary, tobacco and matches included, they found the 2s per week was enough to spend. The 3s kept in hand was put to the credit of the pensioner, but this matter would be fully considered during the -month. He was sure they were more than pleased that the Government went one better than he had suggested by giving 15s. He was sorry he could not credit it with the same consideration in the widows' pension, this being only increased by £6 per annum, without consideration for the number of children. A widow with one child got 7s per week, for each additional child a shade under 2s 4d, so that a widow with four children was in receipt of 14s per week. Now ; as the department recognised that a fair charge was 10s a week for the keep of a child, it did not show much consideration by the Government to expect a widow to keep herself and four children on 14s while they paid for the same four children 403. They were inclined to go to extremes, as was proved by the suggestion that soldiers' widows should get 40s and 10s for each child, which showed a difference in the two cases of between £4 and 14s. Father Coffey had recently referred to the decrease in the birth rate. Could they expect otherwise when children who had lost the male parent were left to starve? The Government might yet have to face the question of subsidising parents in the case of anything over two in a family.—Mr Begg moved as an _ amendment that the following clause referring to old-age pensioners bo referred* back to the committee for more sympathetic consideration : —" In connection with the proposed increase to bt« paid to old-age pensioners, such who are inmates of the Otago Benevolent Institution be in future charged for maintenance at the rate

of 10s per week; 2s per week be refunded to the Inmates, as at present; and the question of expenditure and use of the balance—viz., 3s—be considered and report thereon submitted to the next meeting." — Mrs Ferguson seconded the _ amendment, which was defeated on the voices, and the report was adopted.