CHARITY

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume VII, Issue 1, 1 October 1902, Page 58

CHARITY

It is popularly believed among men that women are responsible for much, of the door-to-door begging that is so large a part of our civilisation. Nor when we think, can we fail to lay some blame at our doors. Too many of us are so prone to believe the story of the man "just out from hospital, with a wife and seven children, and nothing in the house to eat/ And it is really a most trying position for an ordinarily sympathetic

woman

I remember once resolving ever to harden my heart against mendicants of every description. I had just been victimised by a man, who had asked for work ; and had promised to come next day. I had, by the way, given him a shilling for a meal and a bed. Needless to say, the work still waits for him. However, when the other man came, I believed not his story, though he

looked it. He said that he had had to sleep out the previous nigfht. I advised him to try the Salvation Army for a bed. He retorted, "And

do you advise a respectable man to eat with all sorts of men, Chinamen nio-Qers, and men of that kind V Still I was adamant. "You can at least get a bed there/

"No thank you ma'am, I would sooner sleep on clean straw in a stable than that."

"Well," 1 said, ignoring the fact that he had slept in two different places, " 1 will give you a letter to the Charitable -"

"None of your charity for me/ he interrupted, and the meeting was at an end. Since then, I have felt justified in refusing to give men money, unless they would earn it. But many of the cases that come to one's knowledge are genuine ; only where is one to draw the line, and what are the institutions that outtaxes support doing that such misery is existent ?

Personally, I disapprove of giving money at the door, I believe that every deserving case should be brought under the notice of the established institutions. Of course one has to combat the pride of the poor. But as long as we encourage people to lose their self-respect by

aslung for money at the door, so long are we hindering the properly constituted establishments from doing the work which we pay them to do. There remains much to be said on this subject, gnd I shall ts glad to discuss it further.