CHARITABLE AID.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2365, 4 December 1908, Page 5

CHARITABLE AID.

A CRITICISM OF THE SYSTEM. [Pkess Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 2. , At the annual meeting of the Chariable Aid Board yesterday, before relinquishing his duties to Ids successor* the chairman (Mr. B. P. Manliire) mid that in these days there was no encouragement for thrift. -There was_ too much charity in. New Zealand.” Directly a man reached a certain ago lu> was'granted an old age pension by the Government, and through life looked forward to it. Then there was the Charitable- Aid Board, which had tried the test of making men break stones to earn their rations. In many cases men sent their children to do the'work. Too frequently young people sent their parents to the Charitable Aid Board with a request that the people be put' Into homes. The children were quite willing to give the board the old age pension- if any were drawn, but it. was disgraceful that the Board should make these old people go to homes if they did not want to. He referred to the frequency of wife desertion. Moil seemed to marry in haste and repent at leisure with a vengeance, and there was hardly a meeting of the Board at which a ease did not crop up. He thought it was a mistake to put these men in gaol to live in idleness. They should be made to work -and their earnings used to support their wives and children. Such loafers were not worthy of assistance. He also referred to friendly - societies, members of which were penalised to the extent of the money received from the society, thus penalising* thrift. He also made reference to the alarming increase of illegitimate children, which was a growing evil and difficult to deal with. Any woman could place an illegitimate child iu a borne, and the foster parents, if not naid, could call on the Charitable Aid" Board' to contribute to the child’s support, which was altogether unsatisfactory.