RELUCTANTLY REFUSED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19485, 9 May 1933, Page 7

RELUCTANTLY REFUSED

MONEY FOR HEALTH CAMP. MINISTER OR PRIVATE CITIZEN. 1 By Telegraph—**res» Association DUNEDIN. May 8. The Reverend L. B. Neale, of the Central Mission, has declined a grant of £3OO from the Great Easter Art Union for the children's rest camp. MINISTER OF HEALTH EXPLAINS. ‘PRESSURE OF CHURCH.” By Teleeraph— Press Association WELLINGTON. May 8. The Hon. J. A. Young (Minister of Health) has made the following statement concerning the allocation of art union money:— ‘‘The Rev. L. B. Neale, of Dunedin, telephoned me to-day, at 4.45 p.m., intimating that he regretted very much that, owing to the pressure of the Church generally brought to bear upon him. he had been obliged to decline acceptance of the allocation of £3OO for his Company Bay children’s health camp, at Dunedin. He stated that in his capacity as 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 as apart from his own views, declining the money would be tantamount to penalising poor children who needed body-building food. I put the issue to Mr Neale in this form: ‘I take it that your telephone message to me is an official one, intimating that in the circumstances, owing to pressure you have had brought to bear upon you, you are obliged to decline the £300.’ Mr Neale replied that that 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 pointed out that in terms of the license there could be no alternative. Any monies not accepted would be carried forward for distribution in connection with further art unions that might be held."

FURTHER EXPLANATION BY MR NEALE.

BOWED TO OPINION OF CHURCH. By TeifcgraDU— Brass Association DUNEDIN,'May 8. “I applied for a share in the funds from the Health Stamp issue for Otago," said the Rev. L. B. Neale, when the Hon. J. A. Young’s communication was referred to him this evening. “This was refused, and knowipg that moneys had been subscribed by people with a perfectly free conscience to provide body-building food and a change of environment for little children, I was prepared to waive my «wn personal prejudice against art unions, and to act in the capacity of a servant of the people and the Government in this matter, as a social worker, and spend the £3OO allocated upon 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 reflecting on the position, I realised that I was to some extent implicating the whole of the Church in the Dominion, and eventually I decl ned 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." REFERENCE IN CHURCH. The statement that he had been associated as a beneficiary in the proposed Easter Art Union was neither confirmed nor denied by the Rev. L. B. Neale, formerly of Rugby Street Methodist Church, and now of the Dunedin Central Mission, when he was interviewed by telephone from Christchurch. In the list of participants in the Easter Art Union, £3OO was allotted to Mr Neale’s Company Bay children's camp. On Sunday, the Rev. Clarence Eaton, chairman of the North Canterbury

Methodist District, described the announcement that Mr Neale was participating in the proceeds “as a surprise and a humiliation to all the responsible ministers and laymen of tlm Church to which Mr Neale belonged.” “I am not saying anything about it," said Mr Neale. “It doesn’t concern the newspapers.” It was pointed out to Mr Neale that Mr Eaton's criticism of him had been published in the newspapers, and that the matter was now one of public in“No, I’m not saying anything,” replied Mr Neale. “It hasn’t anything to do with the newspapers.” The relation of the Methodist Church to art unions was made clear in a pronouncement made by Mr Eaton during the morning service at the Durham Street Church, Christchurch, on Sunday morning. Mr Eaton said that unfortunately the Minister of Internal Affairs had determined to go with the tide, and had now launched an Easter Art Union under direct Government patronage and control, despite the emphatic protest of the representatives of nearly all the Churches. The Methodist Church had been foremost in its proest, for in its laws and regulations the members were enjoined to “abstain from participation in lotteries, raffles and games of chance.” It came, therefore, as a tremendous shock to them to find the name of one of their ministers, the Rev. L. B. Neale, associated as a beneficiary in the proposed Easter Art Union. Mr Neale’s association with such an enterprise was inexplicable, and came as a surprise and a humiliation to all the responsible ministers and laymen of the Church to which Mr Neale belonged. It was safe to say Mr Neale had been inundated with a sea of indignant protests. Mr Eaton said he desired to make perfectly clear where his Church stood in the matter. No church enterprise of theirs could possibly participate in the proceeds of any sweepstake or art union. Mr Neale was justly held in esteem by many in that city. His solicitude for the suffering poor was well known. Perhaps in this case his heart had run away with his head.