HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID.

Waipawa Mail, Volume IX, Issue 880, 14 January 1886, Page 2

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID.

*• he following circular lifts been issued by the Waikato Jounty Council At a meeting of the Waikato County Council, held on the 18th December. 1885, at which, in addition to a fulll attendance of Count illorß, there were present by invi- • ation : J. b. Whyte, Esq., M.EJ.K. for Waikato,E. Lake, Esq ,M.H.R. for Waipa, and W. A. Graham, Esq., Mayor of Hamilton. It was unanimously resolved to invite the co-operation of Borough and Councils throughout the colony jr. £ ing the attention of the Government Ilf the immature and unworkable character of the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act, 1885, provisions which, in the opinion of this Council, are calculated to foster and ensure the rapid growth of Stato pauperism in the colony, without providing any efficient or udequate means of regulating and controlling the same. That the Act has been framed without due consideration of the interests of the country districts is readily apparent, from the fact that, while representation at the Board, with its consequent power of control, has been fixed on a basis of population, contributions in support of tho institutions are to be levied and obtained on the valuation of property. This arrangement is viewed with disquietude, mor«* especially in relation to the so-called Charitable Aid part of tho Act, which is simply the bringing into operation of a Poor Law in New Zealand, a country where it has been frequently asserted wages are higher, living less expensive, and employment more readily obtained than in any other pait of tho world. In Waikato and adjacent counties there has not been, nor does there ut present exist, any evidence of poverty to an extent to justify or warrant the introduction of a Poor Law ; if, however, other portions of the colony are less fortunate, and it is deemed absolutely necessary by legislation to compel the affluent to provide for tlie maintenance of their aged and indigent fellow colonists, it requires to be done by a separate statute, as there is little in common between the management of hospitals and the relief or support of the destitute. It is readily admitted that Hospitals are in tlieir proper place, «*md may be more efficiently and economically managed in large centres of population such as tho City of Auckland ; but with regard to the relief of the poor a separate Act is required, of a simple character, whereby Borough and County Councils throughout the colony may be constituted Poor Law Boards, charged with the relief or support of tho destitute within their several jurisdictions, with power for two or more of them to amalgamate for Poor Law purposes, when that course may be deemed advisable. By this means the expense attending the creation of a multitude of new boards will be obviated, ami councillors, being personally accuainted with the residents of their respective districts, will he in a position to check imposition, and where applicants for relief are able to give labor in return, they will bo in a position to exact it with profit to the community.

It is considered an injustice to country districts that contributions to district Hospitals have been fixed on a valuation of property basis, by which they are called upon to pay sums far beyond Jtiai value of any benefit they a.„, K J receive. If any such general arratt , Q„b£»J be necessary, a population basis would be more likely to give satisfaction, but there can be no reason why tho cost of maintaining a patient may not be ascertained, and country districts be simply charged with the cost of treating patients who have been admitted on the order of >my person authorised by’ the local body, leaving the hoard to recover if they can from the patient or his relatives, as provided by tho “ Destitute Person Act, 1877.” 1 In a communication of this kind, the question cannot be treated in detail, but it is hoped that sufficient has been said to show that an amendment of the Act of last session is imperatively necessary, and until that is done, provision should L>s made by the Government for carrying on the Hospitals and poor relief, ns at present existing. With this object in view the co-operation and active assistance of your Council is invited. Appended are the resolutions passed by this Council, together with a copy of a letter written to the Waikato Times newspaper on the 17tli November last by Joseph J. Barugh, Esq., a member of tue Waikato Couuty Council, and their representative at the Hospital and Cliiritabla Institution Board. Mr Barugli is a recent arrival in the colony, and having for many years occupied the position of Poor Law Guardian in England, his opinion on the qu -stions herein referred to may be perused with profit.—l have the honour to be, £e., &c., Andrew Primrose, Chairman Waikato Council. 21st December, 1885. Extracts from the Minutes of the Waikato County Council, , held on 18th Decent jer t 1885. On a motion by Councillor S*ddc>u, seconded by Councillor, Barugh, t .e f ollowing resolutions were unanimously agreed to : Ist. Hint in the opinion of this Council, the Hospital and Charitable Ins itutioos Act, 1835, should be amende:! during next session of Parliament by tho excision of the clauses relating to “ Separate Institutions,” and all that portion of the Statute having refeience to the relief of the poor. 2nd. 1 hat for the purpose of relieving the poor it is essential (to ins ire a proper control of expenditure) that district be of much smaller area than those for the management support of hospitals, and that each district support its own poor. 3rd. that the Government bo requested to introduce a b 11 during next session of Parliament providing for the constitutions of each Borough Council and County Council throughout the colony a Poor Law Board, with power lor any two or more of them to amalgamate. It was further r« solved that a copy of these resolutions be sent to members of the House of Representatives and Jcq Borough and Couuty Councils tlirou .tout the colony. Jas. McPherson, County Clerk, Waikato. Kirikiiiron, 21st December 1885. The following letter which originally appeared in the \Vaikato Times , is also appended : THE POOR LAW IN NEW ZEALAND, pro THE EDITOR. 1 SIR, —The Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act of the last session of Parliament has introduced a Poor Law in New Zealand. Those who are acquainted with the evil effects of the Poor Law in England, sec much to regret in the fact. For many ye irs the English Poor Law was frightfully abused by the loafiug and idle part of the population. One hundred and twenty years ago, when the population of that country was not one third of what it is at present, the Poor Rates in some of the rural parishes amounted to ten shillings in the pound. This state of things continued until the passing of the Reform Act of 1832. The persons who granted :elief to the poor in rural districts were onntry gentlemen assembled in petty sessions. They were the owner* of land which was eo groviously b

these oppressive rates, and yet they were powerless to keep them down. If my memory serves me aright, I think the Poor Rates in seme parishes had risen as high as twenty shillings in the pound bofore 1832. Very soon aft.-r the present Poor Law came into operation, the rates in these over-burdened parishes fell to a mere fraction of what they had formerly been. The provisions of the Poor Law which chiefly contributed to this result was, that no able-bodied pauper of either sex should receive out-door relief, and the more stringently that regulation is fol lowed the better it always proves for both paupers and ratepayers. On this subject there is no difference of opinion amongst those who have had long experience of the English Poor Law. The most benevolent and the most economical are agreed on that point. Great, however, as have been the improvements in Poor L iw administration in England during the last fifty years, its evil effects are still very deplorable. It undermines all thrift amongst the majority of the poor. It diminishes that kindly feeling which ought to lead near relatives to succour each other in time of need. Notwithstanding the stringent administration of the English Poor Law, there are pauper families who have been paupers for generations, and seem to be incurable. The slightest attack of illness brings them to the Board of Guardians at once, and they are always inventing excuses for applying for relief. I have often looked at these people prevaricating over an unsatisfactory tale under the pitiless cross-examination of the Board, and wondered how they could face it, but pauperism soon extinguishes all sense of shame. Hie introduction of the Poor Law into the Highlands of Scotland is of comparatively a recent date, bat I have frequently heard and read that it has had a very marked effect in deteriorating the character of the people. The Poor Law of Ne.v Zealand is an attempt to combine charitable aid with a system of ratepaying. If any combination of persons can be induced to subscribe £IOO per annum for charitable purposes they can bo incorporated as an institution. A hundred pounds will not go far in supporting a charitable institution, so the trustees in connection with it are directed by the 59th section of the Act as follows :—“ 59. The trnstees shall, on their first coming into offiee, and thereafter before the last day of March in each year, ascertain the estimated gross cost of the maintenance of the institutions vested in them, together with the estimated income from all touices of such institution for the next twelve months following, and shall transmit such estimates to the District Board, together with a requisition to such board for a contribution from the Hospital and Charitable Aid Fund of the district, to the amount of the difference between the estimated gross cost of maintenance and the estimated revenue, and the District Board shall make contributions out of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Fund to the separate institutions according to their requisitions.” This is an extraordinary piece of legislation. A few benevolent tranks who choose to raise a hundred pounds per annum might fleece the country out of thousands for utterly worthless purposes. The power given by this section is certain to be abused by nearly all, if not all, the incorporated institutions, and the results to the pockets of the ratepayers aud the morals of the people will most certainly be disastrous. The District Board may appeal against the requisitions of the institutions, and the appeal will be heard by two commissioners and a Resideut Magistrate, and their decision will be liual. The ratepayers are to have nothing to say in the matter. That the subscribers to a few charitable institutions should distribute their favors without check or hindrance, and be able to call npou all ratepayers to make good their monetary deficiencies, is a very singular anomalyin what is said to be the most democratic country in the world. The District Boards are politely informed that their business is to find money fortheinstitutions.and that it will not be necessary for them to meet more than twice a year in order to receive the requisitions of active benevolence in money matters. In one of the circulars issued to facilitate the proper interpretation of this Act is the following paragraph :—“ The term ‘ institution,’ a 3 used in the Act, is not to be understood as meaning simply a hospital, asylum, orphanage, or other public building established for any of the purposes specified in the Act. It rather means the body or association of persons constituted for the management and maintenance of such establiriiiner.ts, or for the administration of charitable aid, even though it does not possess or make use of any house or other building.” Here is deliberate invitation to whatever lists to start a society for the distribution of out-door relief. Some society of benevolent old laries will soon be taken advantage of it, and flooding the country with paupers. Was there ever such a piece of suicidal legislation? These unions are too large for any efficient management. The cost of travelling will prevent the attendance of district trustees even if they’ were wanted, and certainly neither the district trustees nor their constituents will ever consent that their money' should be expended in Auckland without some satisfactory supervision on their part. Auckland is said to be rich. The farming parts of the country are poor, unmistakeably poor. Why does not Auckland support her own paupers? This mixture of ratepaying and bt-nevoh nee will never do. The two things are utterly incompatible. The ratepaying will quickly destroy the benevolence. Or it may be kept alive to the extent of their miserable hundred pounds which will enable the benevolent to rob the ratepayers. All that is requir- d in a new country like this ought lo he raised by benevolence. Public attention only requires to be called to the ne< essitious cases that claim our pity, and the relief would be forthcoming. At all events it would he better to send round the hat before sending the tnxgatherer. Let us try if this difficulty cannot be remedied by benevolence, and save ourselves from the curse and disgrace of this crude and unworkable Poor Law. In. migrants without relatives or friends in the colony, wlio are disabled by sickness or other misfortune from supporting themselves, are undoubtedly fit objects for our sympathy, and call for charitable aid, but certainly a little organisat.on could collect all the aid that is required without having recourse to an odious poor rate. If people could be found who would take the trouble of working an organisation of this description, 1 have no doubt but all the fuuds that are required would readily be found. Country' people would respond to a call on their benevolence, but they will never willingly pay’ rates without a far more satisfactory supervision of the expenditure than this Act affords. I have been told that there are employers of female labour in Auckland, whose employes can earn no more than five shillings by a week’s hard work. If there be such rascally practicers of the much-belauded doctrine of political economy, “ buy in the cheapest market, and sell in the dearest,” I say, hang the doctrine, and hang the men who practice it. Couutry ratepayers will strongly object lo pay rates for town pauperism whilst such practices exist. In country districts at least there should be vigorous agitation until this Act is greatly modified, or consigned to the limbo, from which it should never have arisen —I am, &c., Jos. J. BARUGII.