The Evening Star FRIDAY, MAY 22, 1874

Evening Star, Issue 3509, 22 May 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, MAY 22, 1874

We have received the “ Eleventh Annual Report of the Committee of Management of the Benevolent Institution, Dunedin.” It appears from this report that, notwithstanding the increased prosperity of the Province, there has been quite the usual amount of distress existing in it, and that the Committee of the Institution have had their ordinary quantity of work to do in relieving misery and suffering. These gentlemen seem to have performed their arduous duties satisfactorily, and to have effected, considering -their limited means, a very large amount of good. There is one paragraph in the report which seems to us to merit special notice. It is this : The Committee regret to report that the Colonial Parliament has not yet consented to the endowment of public charities. They trust, however, that their successors in office will use every endeavor to obtain this necessary provision for charitable aid from the General Government.

Further on, they say that they have been enabled, “ by the assistance of a generous public, to relieve a large amount of distress.” Now, we are inclined to believe that* if the public were really as “generous” as they ought to be, there would be no need to regret that the Colonial Government refuse to endow public charities. We find that the total amount of the subscriptions, collections, (fee., is L 1,343 12s lOd. If we deduct from this the amounts received from lectures, performances, cricket matches, <fec.— amounts for which the contributors may fairly be supposed to have received a quid pro quo in the shape of amusement we shall find that the amount contributed by the people of Otago to this, the only important public charity to which they are called upon to contribute at all, is about LI,OOO. We do not mean to say that there ia not a .very large amount of potential generosity existing in the Province, but itl does apppear from this statement that

it is not brought into action to any remarkable extent, as far, at least, as the Benevolent Institution is concerned. Yet the people of Otago are not by any means niggardly. Large amounts are annually subscribed by, the public for church purposes, for testimonials, and other objects. Why, then, does the committee of the Institution find it necessary to suggest the advisability of urgently appealing to the State for help in this matter? It is quite certain that if all the inhabitants of the Province contributed to the funds of the Institution in the same proportion, according to their means, as do those whose names appear in the list of subscribers, the Institution would be placed in a most flourishing position, and would not need to appeal to the State for help at all. How is it that the vast majority of the well-to-do people of this Province never subscribe , a penny to the funds of the Institution % lb is manifestly the duty of every one to give something towards this object, but unfortunately thei’e are but few in this world who diligently try to find out what it is their duty to do, and then do it merely because it is their duty. Many people will do the right thing when it is brought under their notice; others will do it because they are asked 3 and still more will do what they consider the “ correct thing” (which, by-the-by, we need hardly say is not always the right thing.) It appears to us then that if the Committee would appeal to the public, in such a way that all classes might have the matter brought prominently and directly , under their notice, there would be no longer any reason for complaining of lack of means, or for seeking State aid. If an experienced agent were appointed, whose duty it should be to call on people, to advocate the claims of the Institution, and to collect subscriptions, we have no doubt that the end desired would be attained. We may be wrong, but it seems to us that it is very undesirable that State aid should be invoked for public charities, unless all other expedients for supporting them have been tried and have failed. It is of no small importance that a people should have constant opportunities for practising the virtues of charity and self-denial, for the deeds which are prompted by these virtues have a reflex action, and the doers of them are benefited at least as much as the recipients of their bounty —as Portia savs—

The quality of mercy is twice blessed, It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.