THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.

Evening Star, Issue 3735, 11 February 1875, Page 3

THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.

The following is the principal part of the report submitted at the meeting of sub scribe; s this afternoon : In submitting their twelfth Annual Deport, the Committee regret to state that they have been called upon to relieve a more than usua : amount of distress, especially during the last six months. This may to some extent be attri buted to the large increase of population through immigration, inasmuch as amongst those ersons who have been sent out here at the expense of the Colony, a considerable num ber may well be designated “ trained paupers,” while others are physically unfit for labor. Of these latter, several heads of families have died, leaving their wives and children dependent Upon the funds of the Institution, The increased expenditure may be further explained by the large number of accidents which have occurred throughout the Province, in which cases wives and families have been left destitute. 2. By the payment of passages of persons who were a burden on the funds, and would otherwise have been unable to reach their friends, who would support them, 3. By the scarcity of houses as compared with the increased population in Dunedin and its neighborhood, with the consequent increase in rents, creating such a difficulty in finding house accommodation that the committee were compelled to apply to the Provincial Govern ment for the temporary use of the old Police Barracks in Princes street, in which six families, numbering thirty-six persons, are now located. The sum expended in out door relief during the. year amounted to L 956 18s 7d, of which L26710a 6d was paid for rent. The number of persons thus relieved averaged weekly 71; the total number duting the year being—adults (males). 2C9; adults (females), 878 ; and children, 2,756. In consequence of the increase in the numbei of male adults at the Institution, especially during the winter months, when it reached 29 the o immittee were compelled to enlarge the quarters occupied by them, at a cost of Ll5O. The great want of water at the Institution, especially during the summer, induced the Committee to take advantage of the Company’.water, from which source the whole Institution is now efficiently supplied, Amo’ g several improvements contemplated, it is propo ed to provide a small detached Sanitarium, to meet any cases of contagious diseases that may occur, no proper provision having been previously made to meet such epidemics as have recently been prevalent in the Province. The committee appeal to th> public to aid them as heretofore in carrying out, any necessary alterations which may be required for the comfort of the inmates. The average ■ umber of inmates in the Institution during the past year was seventyeight, at a weekly cost of 7 a 5d per head.