CHARITABLE AID.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5992, 29 July 1887, Page 2

CHARITABLE AID.

» r The Auckland District. Dr I/E'Gregor's Investigations, [SI>ECI_.L TO THE "StAE."] AUCKLAND, July 29. Dr M'Gregor, Inspector-General of Hospitals and Asylums, has been engaged during his stay here in thoroughly investigating the system of charitable relief. The material which he is collecting upon this subject will be embodied in a report which will be presented to Parliament in due course. For tho purpose of his enquiry, the Inspector-General made a personal visit to the households, representing 200 souls, to whom relief in one form or other is being supplied by the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. He found a good many cases of persons who were destitute through their own misconduct. Some were drunk at the time of his visit. On the other hand, there were many cases of a most deserving kind: women deserted by their husbands, struggling hard to find bread for their children, land recipients of State aid whose hearts turned sick at the thought of living upon the bread of charity, and who had been driven to apply for aid through the direst necessity. Dr Macgregor is convinced that the action taken by the Relief Committee of the Board in requiring that every applicant for aid shall come before the Committee in person to state the grounds of the claim, has had a very salutary influence in checking indiscriminate charity, and that the Committee's enquiries have saved a considerable sum to the ratepayers.