The Globe. MONDAY, JULY 8, 1878.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1371, 8 July 1878, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, JULY 8, 1878.

The question of the administration of charitable aid has at last been settled upon a satisfactory basis. When we last wrote upon this subject the Board had decided to request the Government to withdraw the restriction placed upon the expenditure which it might deem necessary. The Government proposal was that a certain fixed sum should bo paid to the Board monthly, but beyoud this, if required, its members would have to provide any funds which might be necessary. Such a state of tilings would bo manifestly unsatisfactory, and so the Board felt it. They pointed out that the Government did not entrust them with as largo discretionary powers as regarded the expenditure of money as they had given to their administrator. The remonstrances of the Board appear to have had some weight with the Government, as at a meeting held this morning a telegram was read from the Government acceding to the suggestions made. Under present arrangements the Charitable Aid Board, as now constituted, will, until legislation on the subject takes place, act as the administrative body in the distribution of charitable aid, &c. As regards the Hospital, though nothing very precise is stated concerning it, the Board will doubtless have the supervision of the expenditure. This is strengthened by the fact that the Chairman of the Hospital staff who now undertake all tho internal management of the institution, is also a member of the Board, and appointed at their express I*o- - Tho functions of tho Board will extend to tho whole of the Canterbury Provincial District north of the Rangitata but they do not propose to interfere where local bodies are desirous of doing the work themselves. Of course in such cases the local bodies will have to undertake the responsibility of distributing the funds placed at their disposal by the Government, the usual deduction being made from the subsidies accruing to them. Wo think that the public may be fairly congratulated upon the satisfactory solution, for the present, of a somewhat difficult matter. The substitution of a Board for a single administrator cannot but bo an improvement, however admirable the manner in which the duties have been performed hitherto. It is manifestly impossible for one man to discharge the duties so efficiently, and with such a thorough knowledge of the cases coining under notice, as a Board composed of gentlemen who, from their position, are enabled to ascertain accurately the claims of the several applications which may bo made to them. Therefore, and without wishing for one

instant to disparage the services rendered to tho department by Mr. March, which have boon most valuable, we think it will be admitted that the alteration now made is a stop in tho right direction. By tho arrangement conceded by the Government in their last telegram the Board is able to deal with all cases coming before them, without any restriction in the matter of funds, and should an emorgency unfortunately arise, demanding increased expenditure, they will be in a position to meet it without, as under the former proposition, being forced to find tho money in tho best way they could.

Those who have been endeavouring in vain to comprehend the results of tho Waitara meeting will perhaps bo astonished to learn that they are of the most comprehensive character. So the Daily Times at any rate assures its readers. Out of " the vorbiago and strained metaphor" which characterised the speeches delivered, our contemporary has " culled the substantial results of all this word painting." "It now turns out," it says, " that not only does Rcwi desire a railway through his country, but offers to give all tho land required gratuitously. But is this all ? No ; but ho has done that which it never entered into the heart of any European capitalist to do; ho lias offered to mako a present of as much land as will pay for tho construction of the whole of tho Northern trunk lino of railway as far as it runs through his enormous territory, extending from Te Awamutu station in tho Auckland provinco to Waitara station, in Taranaki." It is certainly a rather remarkable circumstance that it should have been left to tho Daily Times to discover tho above astonishing facts. Till they were told by that journal, few in the colony were aware that Rowi had it in his power, even if ho were willing, to give tho land for a railway from To Awamutu to Waitara. We strongly suspect that our contemporary has no ground whatever for the statement made by him, and that the splendid results of tho meeting exist only in tho brilliant imagination of the Premier and a few of his followers.