CHARITABLE AID.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5350, 21 May 1878, Page 2

CHARITABLE AID.

TO THE EDITOE OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sib,— There is no question of more importance, and-at the same time more difficult to properly adjust, than the provision for aud administration of our charitable institutions. On the one hand there appears the danger of over much State provision and State interference, that may tend to check theflow of voluntary contributions and local interest; while,on the other,hand, without a considerable amount of State aid and State supervision there is the yet greater danger of the unrelieved distress and suffering of unfortunates' in every way worthy of the kindest consideration. The blending of these two elemouts is the problem to be solved by the Legislature. There is, however, one great strain ou our charitable institutions, to .Which the* Legislature, in. the interest of public morality, l as well as from an economic, point of view,, should direct its special, attention, aud provide some- further and surer means of reaching the delinquents. Thefact to which I refer is the frequent desertion by husbands of their wives and families, which haveto be provided for from the funds of these iustitutiona. This violation of the laws of rtjpd, of Nature, and of the State, is by no means unfrequeut .occurrence in Now Zealand, as winF* be seen by a reference to one single fact;l quote from a Dunedin paper:—“There .were during the last year thrown upon, the charitable institutions of Dunedin, through wife de- ij. sertioii, no less than 32 women ’and Tl 6 children. That these specimens of humanity should be allowed to escape.their responsibility in the way, they do, is an evidence of the.defeotive character of our laws on (ha matter, and a foul blot on our civilization. Tho Legislatures of this and tho adjoining colonies.would do well in taking some united 1 action for the more vigorous suppression of this crime, and thereby inspire a greater respect for the marriage tie, on which ’the stability of the whole social fabric and; the general well-being-of the State so ranch depends. While It may be held that no circumstance can justify a man in deserting his family, I am not prepared to throw the entire -blame of all domestic discord and unhappiness on the,, husband, as much of it arises from the incompetence and unwillingness of many - who - undertake the responsibility of becoming wives and mothers to discharge tho duties devolving on them in that relation. I remember hearing a gentleman at a public meeting, called for the purpose of taking into consideration the adoption of some steps for tho suppression of drunkenness, state, that in his; opinion had cooking was the fruitful source ;of drunkenness, and there can be but little doubt that the absence of home comforts -, is a fruitful source of dissension in tho family circle. Many wives are making it their principal- duty to spend their husbands’ earnings, rather than to in any way supplement the same, or by the most judicious application ’of those earnings secure • the greatest 1 amount of homo enjoyments, aud thereby make home the great centre of attraction; This she can never do without an intelligent recognition of the duties and responsibilities she has undertaken. On this head many mothers of families are very much' to blame in not- giving their daughters a better domestic training than they do, with such other instruction as will prepare them to defend their virtue, and occupy that position in society and in the ■ family- in which Providence may place them, with credit to themselves, and to the comfort aud happiness of those with whom, by the ties of the'lawand nature, they become allied. ■ The establishment in cur larger centres of population of institutions devoted to tho teaching of domestic economy, with occasional lectures from competent persons on the duties and' responsibilities of wife and mother, from a social »q<3

economic point o£ view, is well worthy of consideration. Tocquoville, in hia gre t work on America, states it as his opinion that American prosperity and present,greatness,ought maiuly to bo attributed to the superiority of American women.—l am, &0., QWellington, May 20. •