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The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1875.

It is gratifying to find that we have already made considerable progress on a path which, in the opinion of some of the most advanced thinkers of the age, is the one that mast be followed by the people of England, if they wish to be able to deal satisfactorily with those classes of the community that are commonly described under the generic term “the Poor.” An article appeared a short time ago in one of the leading London peri* odioals under the heading “Charity, Fan* perism, and Self Help.” It is believed by many to have been written by Mr Hbrbbrt Spbnobb, and the internal evidence pre* sented by the article itself tends to confirm this opinion. The burden of the article is something like this : If we would diminish pauperism, we must help the poor to help themselves in their own way. The article differs from most others on this and kindred subjects in that it does not consist of a mix* tare of fault-finding and platitude, but is a masterly exposition of the whole subject. The condition of the poor is briefly described. The various modes in which pauperism is dealt with at present aie detailed. The defects and the excellencies ef each of these methods are pointed out. For every evil brought under review a suitable remedy is suggested. In short, the article is complete. Throughout the whole, too, it is made apparent that the writer is not merely a philosopher, but also a warm-hearted philanthropist, who makes the forwarding of the best interests of humanity the special business of his life. The most novel feature of the scheme advocated is the proposal to establish a National Friendly Society, with guaranteed funds, the poor-rate being liable for any local deficiency. The management is to be by a Board composed partly of members ex officio, and partly of members elected by subscribers. The subscription is to be determined by reference to the best tables of mortality. Every ratepayer is to be offered the option of paying the poor-rate or of becoming a member oi the Society. All members of the Society are to be excused from paying the poor-rate altogether. Members are to be entitled to (1) relief when sick, (2) help when out of work, (3) the means of migrating to obtain work, (4) a superannuation allowance, (5) payment of a sum for burial. The advantages presented by such a Society, when compared with all others, would bo—absolute security under State guarantee, economy of management, a minimum subscription, intelligibility, from uniformity of management, and coaudence, from the certainty and safety of results. Our readers will at once perceive that these are the very advantages claimed for it by the advocates of our system of Government Assurance; they will see, too, that there is absolutely no obstacle in the way to prevent the establishment of such a society in New Zealand, while we have in the Government Assurance staff a great part of the machinery for carrying on such a society ready to hand. Of the benefits that would at once accrue to the people from its establishment it is needless for us to speak ; they are perfectly self-evident. But, it may be asked, how would such a society affect those who did not join it? It is not persons who are sufficiently provident to lay by so much a week or so much a quarter that become a burden to the country but those whenever think of making providonfe,‘‘. Moyd..- Well, that i, ja,t the thing that would be clearly brought out by such a society. It would make a clear line of demarcation between the thrifty on the one hand, and the idle, careless, and useless members of the community on the ether. Under the proposed scheme, vaerants are to be dealt with mnch as they are among ourselves. Those who are merely laay and improvident are to be treated under the present poor law, this important modification being introduced, that in every case persons in good health who recelve relief are to “work out” the money value of this relief. This part of the proposed plan is'of less interest to us than any of the others, as we have not yet developed to any very large extent the class ef able-bodied but unthrifty persons who depend for subsistence on parish relief ” for a* coasiderable portion of the year. When all the classes mentioned above have been deducted from “the Poor,” there is a residuum and a very important one too. The members of this class may be described as orphans and the aged and impotent. It is with regard to our treatment of these that we have the greatest reason to congratulate euraelves. It is unnecessary for ua to give any detailed account of the way in which it is proposed , c al with destitute children and aged and infirm persons; it is sufficient to say that our Lunatic Asylum, our Hospital, the Industnal School, and especially the Benevolent Asylum, would very nearly correspond to the ideal institutions sketched out hi the article with which we are dealing. Ab we said, it is very pleasant to find that we have already! in full working order, institutions which people m the old conntry are only dreaming about as advantages which the next generation may possibly possess. It occurs to us, howover, in this connection, that onr Industrial School could now hardly be pointed to as a “° d ,?Vr®s fchy , of Nation. 'Die management is all that cculd be wished, but it is so overorowded that it may be fairly asked whether 16 ill d at pre Bent doing more barm than good. But we are net inclined to say much on the subject: It is quite unnecessary that we should do so. The Ceunoil is in session, and it will undoubtedly see to it that this important institution shall be what it always taß k®?* within the last few months—a credit to the Province.

office to addressing sympathetic oonstitnem**" * on the hustings, that those who w*— * y^fcjSirGWMEpw*’- ■ to the idea that -* & election addresses Province -Auckland was a most ill-used nOD - ModdTLfT*? MIIOU , B «»elr oonvorS^SF^Sissssii Stw{. T PpeMs . *° Uno h °Pe h eld out can maintai ? her institutions in mw “® r * or that she can exist at S“*f fV Pr °^ oe , , !i fcllout eleemosynary aid. InP lth of the whole address is not what iST 1 < £ m } d v do tt f , reed vexatious Mpionage, but how weakly and foolishly the hj“ been receiving has been administered. The real ordinary revenue of the Provmce has dropped to an inconsiderable figure, being under M), 000 whUe a fifth or moVol “f d a. u ?, of gold revenue, which, for the most pwt, Sir Oioun Gbet thinks should net £ P** 4 h® l been spoken and mitten of late to move that the £250,000 worth of « a ? d J Kran l ied by the Assembly would be a sufficient nucleus to put matters right again, if administered by the Province. Now, a constderable portion of the address, it appears, is devoted to prove that the gift is useless, or worse than useless. The appropriations are only recommended to be made for six months, as the Superintendent is of opinion that by then the financial position of the Province Will be better understood by the Auckland people. At present it would certainly appear that the more the financial position is understood and looked into in detail, the dearer it becomes that Mr Voobl was right when he declined to play almoner to a system that without surreptitious and vacilatmg outside aid could not be maintamed, and with such aid was unworthy to OXlßl*

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18750512.2.6

Bibliographic details
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Evening Star, Issue 3811, 12 May 1875, Page 2

Word count
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1,292

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1875. Evening Star, Issue 3811, 12 May 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1875. Evening Star, Issue 3811, 12 May 1875, Page 2

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