CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1367, 3 July 1878, Page 2

CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

A meeting of the Charitable Aid Board was held this morning. Present —His Worship the Mayor of Christchurch (in the chair), the Mayor of Sydenham, Mr Montgomery, and Mr March. The Mayor of Christchurch said that in reply to the telegram from the Board he had received the following telegram from the G-overnment: — His Worship the Mayor of Christchurch. In reply to telegram, have no objection to appoint Dr. Turnbull, together with two Mayors, County Chairman, and Messrs Montgomery and Brown, as a temporary Board. Government will in meantime, and until arringements made, provide funds not exceeding amounts paid to the year ended, recovering as formerly by stoppages from subsidies. Government does not deem legislation necessary to bring into force, as system in successful operation at Dunedin, Hokitika, and many other places. Local manaeoment however being a step in right direction, Government accept present arrangement with pleasure. G S. Whitmore. Mr Montgomery said that, as regarded the provision of the amount that was necessary for last year, that would not bo enough for the winter months as well. Hence they would require to have money so as to meet the expenditure during the winter months. He trusted that the Government would remember this in paying over to them the one-twelfth. As regarded the matter of the stoppage from the subsidies, they had nothing to do with that. The Mayor of Sydenham thought that this was a very important point, because the Board spent a certain sum of money, which was deducted from the local subsidies. The Mayor of Christchurch pointed out that Christchurch being a larger rating power than the remainder of the municipalities, the Government had put a larger amount of expenses on to it. Mr Montgomery said, as a member of the House, he could not allow himself to consider for one moment the matter of where this money came from, or whether it was stopped from local subsidies or not. They had to receive a certain amount and to distribute it. They simply got the money from the Treasury to do a certain work and they did not trouble themselves with the after matter. That was his view. As to legislation being required, that was a matter of policy for the Government, and the Board had nothing to do with it. They were purely an administrative Board. The Mayor of Christchurch —Then we simply accept the arrangement as a temporary measure, without in any way committing ourselves to the Justice of the stoppage from local subsidies or the the necessity of legislation being taken in the matter. Mr Montgomery said that they should reply to the Q-overmnent that so far as charitable aid was concerned they would require an amount equal to the expenditure of the corresponding month of last year. As to the Hospital that would be a very large item. As they had been appointed as a Board, he thought the Government should treat, them in a proper way, and furnish them with the funds. Their business as a Board would be to expend the money in an economical and business-like way. The Mayor of Christchurch agreed with Mr Montgomery. He thought the Government were hardly meeting them fairly by offering them what they had. As they had to repay the money the Government might, rely upon one thing, that they would not spend more than was absolutely necessary. A conversational discussion took place, in which the opinion of those members present was expressed in the direction of requesting the Government to provide the Board with with funds to administer charitable aid, Ac., leaving it to their discretion. The meeting then adjourned until 9.30 a.m. to-morrow.