CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1910, 8 April 1880, Page 3

CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held cn Wednesday afternoon at the usual hour. Present —Mr Thomson (Chairman), Mr Montgomery, the Mayor of Lyttelton, the Mayor of Sydenham, Mr Booth, Dr Turnbull, the Mayor of Christchurch, and Mr Hawkes The hospital committee reported— That daring ths past fortnight thirty-one patients had been admitted into the hospital and twenty-three discharged, leaving eighty-four patients in the institution. During the same period one death had occurred. The committee wore pleased to report that the consumption of gns for the last six months had been much less than during the corresponding period of last year, and a statement was appended showing the amount paid each month, and the saving effected, being for the six months, .£l7 7s Cd. The report was adopted. The report of the committee on proposed amendments in the Charitable Institutions Bill was read, being as follows :

The committee appointed to consider the proaosed Hospital and Charitable Institutions Bill leg to report that they have carefully examined the Bill, and have the honor to submit the following recommendations for the approval of the Board :

Clause 10. “ Where two or more contributory local bodies together contribute any sum less than £IOO they shall be reckoned as one such body for the purpose of this Act, and may vote at any election as hereinafter provided.” That those words be struck out.

Clause 11, sub section 2, for “14 ” read “21.” Section 3, for “10 ” read “14.” Section 7, “Where two or more Councils areentiiled to elect a member they shall, prior to election, decide amongst themselves which Council shall oxercke the right of voting, and if they fail so to deide, the vote shall lapse.” That these words be struck out.

Clause 53. The words “ any sum not exceeding 20s per week ” be struck out. The committee recommend that districts should include counties and boroughs contiguous to the counties—contiguous boroughs to bo considered as one contributory local body. Mr Booth submitted the following : Objections to a population basis iu making provision for the poor and destitute 1. That in a population basis the recipients of charitable aid, as well as other poor, are reckoned to pay their proportion, which must come out of the pockets of the ratepayers of the borough or other district where they reside; hence unfair if not unjust.

2. That property alone should be called upon to provide for the poor of its own district. 3. That as the principle of providing for the poor and destitute on the basis of rateable value has been established for nearly a century in England, and has never been disputed, we ought not to experiment on the question. Tor the further information of the Board, from returns laid before the committee, I find that the rate of barely one penny in the £ would fully meet the amount required in this district, as constituted at present.

It appears to me, in order to carry out effectually the provisions of the Act, that the area of the districts should not be leas than one large county, including all boroughs and Road Boards in that county; or two smaller counties united, with a residential clause of a defined time, to prevent fraud by parties removing from one district into another. Geo. Booth. It was resolved that copies of the report, and the suggestions submitted by Mr Booth, be distributed among the members of the Board. The Orphanage committee’s report was as follows :

The committee report that they inspected this Institution on Thursday, and found that all the improvements had been carried out in a satisfactory manner. The committee are of opinion that the recommendations contained in the Inspector of Schools’ last report should bo at once adopted, viz : 1. That the infants, boys and girls, be formed into one class, and taught on the Kindergarten principle as far as possible, in a separate room from the elder children. 2. That in the classes above the infants, the mixed system should also be adopted, as the numbers are too small for the separation of the sexes into classes. 3. That the elder scholars be taught the theory and notation of music, and that the singing of the infant classes should be chiefly by 4. That the classes which have passed the third standard should be taught elementary science as relates to such common things as food, clothing, health, cleanliness, and the nse of the lever, wedge, and other mechanical powers, also linear and free hand drawing. The committee find that the elder girls are being carefully trained to domestic duties ; and they-concur m the opinion expressed by the matron that they should not be placed out until the winter is over, their services being required to look after the younger children and to assist generally in the household duties ; this clause not to apply to the girl Moorhouso engaged by Mr Dodson. . The boys were mustered and inspected. Several are now fit to leave the institution, and the committee recommend that they should be apprenticed out, care being taken that they are placed only in situations where they will be carefully looked after. The inspector of nuisances haying recommended that the night sod should be removed off the premises, the committee have ascertained that the cost to carry out this plan would be .£1 per week. The committee having inspected the ground, recommend that a man should be engaged to look after the garden, instruct the elder children in gardening, and attend specially to the removal of the night soil from the earth closets, which the committee think might he buried in the upper part of the garden. As water is now laid on at the institution, the committee find that seven water tanks formerly in use there are not required. The committee recommend thst three of these tanks bo transferred to Quail Island, and the other four sold. The committee find that there are two boys who require to undergo an examination. They recommend that they be admitted into the hospital for that purpose. The report was adopted, and Q-eorge Smart, a married man, was appointed gardener to the Institution, it being understood that his wife would assist in the house. The Master of tho Orphan Asylum reported that there were now 103 inmates —63 boys und 40 girls; and also that during the quarter ended March 31st, £63 19s 5d had been received for maintenance.* ■

The committee of the Ashburton Home drew attention to the fact that the Home was quite full, and that they had been obliged to decline several applications for admission. The medical officer had examined all the present inmates, but none of them are, in his opinion, fit to be discharged. The Board dealt with several cases requiring charitable aid. In reply to Mr Montgomery, The Chairman stated that the recommendation of the committee re Charitable Institutions Bill would bo taken into consideration at next meeting. This concluded the business, and the Board then (at 5.45) adjourned.