GRANT DECLINED

Southland Times, Issue 22010, 9 May 1933, Page 7

GRANT DECLINED

GREAT EASTER ART UNION. REV. L. B. NEALE'S ACTION. (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, May 8. The Rev. L. B. Neale, of the Central Mission, declines to accept the grant of £3OO from the Great Easter Art Union for the'children’s rest camp. ' MR YOUNG’S STATEMENT PRESSURE FROM CHURCH. (Per United Press Association ; Wellington, May 8. The Hon. J. A. Young,. Minister of Health, has made the following statement concerning the allocation of the Great Easter Art Union money: “The Rev. L. Neale, of Dunedin, telephoned me to-day at 4.45 p.m., stating that he regretted very much owing to the pressure of the Church generally brought to bear upon him he had been obliged to decline acceptance of an allocation of £3OO for his company, the Children’s Health Association Camp, Dunedin. He stated that in his capacity of a social worker, he made application for monetary assistance from one of the big art unions. In doing so he was under the impression that he was not acting in the capacity of a minister of religion, but as a social worker doing his utmost to relieve distress among the poor. He said it was unfortunate, apart from his own views, that declining the money would be tantamount to penalizing poor children, who needed body-building food. I put the issue to Mr Neale in this form: ‘I take it your telephone message to me is an official one, stating that in the circumstances, owing to pressure brought to bear on you, you are obliged to decline £300.’ Mr Neale replied that it was so. He said the Mayor of Dunedin would be writing to me submitting an alternative proposal for the distribution of the £3OO, but I stated that in the terms of the license there could no no alternative. Any moneys not accepted would be carried forward for distribution in connection with further art unions that might be held.”

WAIVING PREJUDICE MR NEALE’S REPLY. (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, May 8. “I applied for a share in the funds from the Health Stamp issue for Otago,” said Mr Neale, when the Hon. J. A. Young’s communication was referred to him this evening. “This was refused, and knowing that the moneys had been subscribed by people with a perfectly free conscience to provide body-build-ing food and a change of environment for little children, I was prepared to waive my own personal prejudice against the art unions and to act in the capacity of a servant of the people and Government in this matter as a social worker and spend the £3OO allocated upon the little children, who are denied many of the privileges of life. “I am absolutely opposed to art unions,” continued Mr Neale, “and the Church to which I belong is also opposed to them, but I feel that in this particular case my personal opinion should be put aside for the benefit of others. On reflection on the position I realized that I w'as to some extent implicating the whole of the Church in the Dominion and eventually I declined to accept the allocation. The pressure spoken of by Mr, Young as brought, to bear upon me was the general opinion of the Church throughout the Dominion, and in deference to that expressed opinion I felt it was only fair as a member of the ministry to refuse the allocation.”