Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1880.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 172, 21 July 1880, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1880.

For the sake of the poor and needy of Nelson it is mucli to be. regretted that views so peculiar should prevail among the members of the Committee of the Aid Society. They are estimable, men, in many respects excellent men, but unfortunately their excellence is equalled, 1 if not surpassed, by their eccentricity. One day they make a pathetic appeal to the public for assistance, the next they refuse it disdainfully, and in such a way, as to show the most complete disregard for the feelings of those by whom it is prof erred. Such a statement seems almost, incredible but unfortunately it is borne out by facts. It will be remembered that in the early part of last week an entertainment was given at the Theatre in aid of the Hospital Convalescent fund ; the house was crowded, a pleasant evening was spent by all who were present, and a very handsome sum was handed over to the trustees. Two days later a letter appeared in the Mail from the chairman of the Aid Society stating that the funds were at a very low ebb, that there was an increasing demand for charitable aid, and asking the public to come to their assistance. Then the Society's annual meeting was held, and ' the report which was read afforded ample proof that the chairman's appeal was not without reason. Seeing how great was the need for charitable aid, the gentleman who had got up the entertainment for the convalescent fund, after consulting with those who had been associated with him on that occasion, wrote to the Committee of the Aid Society expressing their willingness to give another entertainment and to devote the proceeds, to assisting those to whose wants the Society had undertaken co minister. The reply was certainly not such as they had a right to expect. They might fairly have looked for a hearty acknowledgment of their generous offer and a grateful acceptance of it ; what they did get was a direct and unmistakeable snub. It came in the shape. of a letter from one of the officers of the Society enclosing the following remarkable resolution :— "This Committee, while glad to accept contributions to its funds, cannot enter into the responsibility of saying beforehand whether it would accept the proceeds of any lecture or enterbainment which may be proposed." This, of course, . pre-supposed the possibility of the money being obtained in so objectionable a manner that. the Committee did not care to risk the soiling of their hands by allowing it to pass through them. A very handsome acknowledgment certainly of the services so kindly offered by a number of ladies and gentlemen whose names were surely a sufficient guarantee against any such impropriety as these hyper-fastidious Committeemen seemed to dread. The poor of Nelson will, however, be glad to hear that they are not to be deprived by the Committee of the Aid Society of the amount that may be realised at the proposed entertainment, as it has been determined to hand over the proceeds to Mr Shallcrass the Relieving Officer, whose conscientious scruples, we are given to understand, will not prevent his disbursing the funds to those. who may be in need.