S. H. and C.A. Board

Southland Times, Issue 13509, 17 July 1896, Page 3

S. H. and C.A. Board

Thursday, 16th July, The adjourned meeting of the Board was attended by Messrs D. Roche, (chairman), S’. Rose, Hast, J. Hamilton, W. H. Hall and J. C. Ellis. , . , t ... The case of Mrs Frederick, who applied for 5s for rent and 2s 6d towards food per week for herself and children was again before the Board and after discussion it was decided to continue the temporary grant of 6s per week which the chairman had recently made, for an additional four A young woman who said she had two young children, one of whom would shortly have to undergo an operation, asked to be taken into the Home until she could find a situation. She bad a husband but ho would not contribute to her support and had cleared out.—The Chairman said the husband could not be got at.-Mr Hall said the history of the case as it had come before the Board was that the woman had, some years ago, married in Invercargill and shortly niter had a child, of whom her husband was not the father. The latter then cleared out and the Board had to take charge of the woman’s maintenance and after some time she induced the Board to pay her faro to Auckland where she said she had a sister who would keep her. The sisters disagreed and the woman made her way back to Wilson’s River, where her conduct was such that the Board were now being called upon to keep the woman and a second child.—Mr Hast said this was a very flagrant case indeed. It was hard that the ratepayers money should be used to raise up children in such an immoial manner.—The Chairman said he had given the woman temporary assistance—los per (week—until the Board should meet. He reminded Mr Hast that it was not the morality of the question that was before them but the applicants destitution, which must be provided for.—Mr Ellis pointed out that they had to deal with things as they found them in a common sense way.—The chairman moved that the applicant be admitted to the Home until the next meeting. Some benevolent ladies had the case in band, and would endeavour to get the woman something to do and to start her straight in life again.— Mr Rose seconded the motion, which was carried, Mr Hast objecting to the tamo way in which the Board was submitting to tbe responsibility of bringing up children in such cases. ' , m , The Southland Hospital Trust wrote stating that as the Board had agreed to finance them as regarded the L2OO required for additional buildings they had withdrawn their appeal against the reduction of their requisition. Mr James Walker Bain was appointed Commissioner to represent the Board at the enquiries to be held at Queenstown and Riverton respecting the Board’s refusal to grant the amounts of the requisitions of the , Wakatipuand Wallace Hospital Trusts. —Mr Hall thought the Board should grant tho request of the Wallace Trust as the amount in dispute (L3O) was small and they would have to pay the costs of the enquiry in any case —The chairman commented adversely on the action of the Riverton Trust in engaging a solicitor to represent them in what purported to be an impartial investigation, thus piling up costs. It was time the Board ascertained what authority they had in dealing with their revenue. Sergt. Macdonell forwarded a repdrt received from the constable at) Lumsden with reference to a man of 75 years who until recently had been living at his daughtei s home, but she had assaulted him, and he now applied for assistance. It was considered to be & family quarrel, and it was decided to return the report to the Sergeant with a statement that the Board could not interfere. A resident of the Bluff forwarded particulars concerning three recipients of charitable aid whom ho considered were not requiring assistance, and it was resolved to discontinue the relief in each case. A Dunedin solicitor wrote that as the Qtsgo Charitable Aid Board were taking a

stand against the demands of the Benevolent Trustees there he would be obliged by the Board’s forwarding him certain information.—As the letter did not state for which body the solicitor was acting the secretary was instructed to ask him under whose authority he wrote. The Dunedin Hospital Trust wrote stating that a young man, a resident of Gore, had been admitted to the hospital, and on leaving it had stated that he was unable to pay for his maintenance while there. His mother was a widow. The Trust applied to the Board for the man’s liability to the hospital.—The secretary to reply that the Board recognised no responsibility. Thomas Slaughter, of Orepuki, wrote thanking the Board in warm terms for their kind assistance to him in the past, ana stating that as he had now regained his health he would try and rub along and would not require-further relief, but if ever it was in his power to repay the Board for what had been given him ho would do so.— Received, Mr Hast remarking that even in this world there was an occasional instance of gratitude. . A number of applications for relief having been dealt with, accounts to the amount of L 827 7s 7d were passed for payment, and the Board adjourned.