Charitable Aid Board

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7298, 5 June 1895, Page 3

Charitable Aid Board

The monthly meeting of the Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday afternoon, Messrs Townley (in the chair), Harding; Hepburn, Tiffen, Taylor, and Johnston being present. The secretary reported that the Board's account at the bank had been overdrawn to the extent of £112, and to this amount, would fiaveto be added £99 6s lOd, the amount of accounts to be passed for payment at the meeting. The Wanganui Charitable Aid Board wrote enclosing a circular in which it was stated that it was the intention of the Government next session to amend section 74 of the Act of 1885 to give power to Charitable Aid Boards to return persons to their own districts if necessary. The Board asked the co-operatiou of the Charitable Aid Boards of the colony in the matter so that the measure may become law. As the Act now stands no such power exists, and as an example of this defect it was pointed out by the circular that the Wangauui Board had had to pay over £50 per annum for the maintenance, for two years, of a destitute family who had left tho district and absolutely refused to return, although the authorities of the district they now live in would gladly send them back if they could jo so legally, and the Board would be quite willing to maintain the family at Wanganui. The circular concluded by remarking that the Board was not even consulted concerning relief granted the family, but simply had to pay the account as rendered to them, and thus urging the amendment as a necessary one.

Tho Chairman referring to this matter considered it would be a good thing for the Charitable Aid Board were this section of the Act amended as suggested in the circular, bat so far as the Board was concerned it was nothing more than bad already been done by the Board in more instances than one. It was decided to bring the matter under the notice of the Hon. Mr Carroll, M.H.R., and to urge him to give the matter his support when the BUbject is brought on for die-' enssion in Parliament. A discussion then took place in reference to the proposed alterations in connection with the maintenance and manugemeut of the O!d Men's Refuge. The Committee appointed to do so had drawn up a report on tho subject which was iui.iuiLlt-J lo.ihe meeting for its consideratiou. After tije matter had been partly diacussed, t!>o Chairman," iv view of the small number of Couuty Councillors present, suggested tho adjournment <f the consideration of the report until the next meeting of the Board, and this being agreed to. the meeting terminated.