Benevolent Aid.

Manawatu Herald, 29 October 1892, Page 2

Benevolent Aid.

We direct the attention of onr readers to the report of the Wellington Benevolent Society appearing elsewhere. We hold the purest feeing of sympathy towards chose in distress but the time is, fast approaching when the terrible claims made by the shiftless, improvident, and criminal classes upon the pockets of the thrifty and respectable portion of the community will have to be reduced. The claims made in Wellington upoh this Society and the Charitable Aid Board has so in creased, by this c'ass finding how much easier it is to beg than to work, that the country districts are being prevented, by want of funds, to make the necessary roads to the properties of the settlers. The Horowhenua County has a very large area of land that needs opening up, tha C-ouncil raises the full rate allowed by the Act, and have further raised special loans, with the only result that their work appears to day like a drop would to the ocean. The nonsuccess ot their efforts is partially due to the claims made upon their revenue by the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, which amounts to one-third of their income from rates. Every settler who thinks that a three-farthing, rate is heavy for road-making does not comprehend that pracrtcally he only gets one halfpenny for roads. We believe that if a direct tax was levied for the above purposes of hospital and chanty, there would be such a stir as would necessitate some radical alteration in the granting of relief. As it is now paid, the members of local bodies get blamed for maladministration. We contend that the public knowledge that those who are in distress are bound to be assisted, makes the perpetrator of a cowardly act of 'desertion callous, as he feels assured that some one else will find food for those he deserts. The tale of the woman applying for relief for the keep of a child who had been left with her .by " a man employed on a sreamer," and whose address she did : not know, is an instance of the ,very light manner serious l-esponsibilities are assumed by persons utterly unable to carry them out ; assumed because failure does not mean ,-ha.rdship, but only calling upon -the -Society to act as the deserter had promised to do. The man had promised 20s per month, so the Society agreed to pay her 5s per week ." till the man was found." he applicant haaa-eally bettered her position. The Benevolent Society is, we are aware^not the Charitable Aid Board, but we believe they receive assistance from the Board, but if they do not, their actions are only a reflex of the published actions of the Board and answer the purpose of calling attention to what we hold to be a rotten state of matters.