CHARITABLE AID.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143765, 13 April 1912, Page 7

CHARITABLE AID.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Yesterday a case came under my notice of a woman who is at present in the hospital, and who will bo discharged in a few days as a convalescent patient. Tho doctor states that she cannot hope to return to work for some three or four weeks. The woman is practically destitute, and, so far as is known, without friends jvho can help her. Under these circumstances, I made application to Mr. F. C. J. Bellringer, chairman of the Charitable Aid Board, for assistance. He promised, very courteously, to inquire into the case, and to see what could be done. Ho replied this morning that tho utmost the board could do would he to send her to the Old People’s Home! Now, without casting the slightest reflection upon that excellent and well-managed institution, 1 submit that it is not a desirable place to send convalescent patients. I asked if it were not possible to have the patient placed in some private boarding establishment until such time as she was strong enough to commence work, and for the board to bear the expense. The answer was a decided negative. It may bo premature to urge the establishment of a convalescent ward, but surely it is not too much to expect that the board could make temporary arrangements to meet the needs of tho few cases which do occur. I am confident that no member of the board would like to think of his sister being driven, in weakness and destitution, to such an unsuitable resort. And this is somebody’s sister. Of course, now that her need is known, there will be no lack of Christian friends who will gladly offer her a little more humane help than that suggested by the board; but this is not a case for private charity ; it is part of our social responsibility and privilege. If it is that the powers of the board are too narrow, or its • resources too slender to permit it to deal more kindly with such misfortune, then the sooner wo, as citizens, alter these conditions the better. If, on the other hand, it is only redtape or some jejune . resolution which prevents the quality of mercy dropping as a gentle rain upon those who are in need, then our quarrel is with tho personnel of the board. I have no desire to throw blame upon any; but this is not the first case which has come under my notice in New Plymouth, and I feci that as citizens we arc responsible for this state of affairs.—l am, etc., JOHN AV. BURTON. Wesley Parsonage, April 12, 1912.