Rangitikei Advocate SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 1908 EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9170, 13 June 1908, Page 4

Rangitikei Advocate SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 1908 EDITORIAL NOTES.

THE proposal made in the Government Bill dealing with Hospitals and Charitable Aid to reduce the subsidies to local bodies was naturally strongly objected to by the delegates at the Conference to consider the Bill. The Inspector-General of Hospitals and Charitable Aid stated that personally he had [no desire Sto see any reduction made in the subsidies to hospitals as generally speaking these institutions were well managed, hat he made a strong appeal for the abolition of the on charitable aid where it was used for out-door relief. It has been shown by the investigations of Miss Kirk in the 'Wellington district, and in other places by the researches of the Inspector - General' himself, tlmt relief is given*in many cases to persona who have no claim to it whatever, and the idea is that outdoor relief would be administered with much more care if the ratepayers had to bear the entire harden. In the last few years the cost of charitable aid has trebled, although the population has not doubled, and despite the fact that there is a very large expenditure on old age pensions which should materially reduce the demands for charitable assistance. Unless a firm stand is made to restrict relief to the really deserving who are compelled to seek assistance owing to illness or misfortune a class of able-bodied paupers will grow up—and there are signs of its existence already—which will prove not only a burden to the taxpayer, but a positive menace to the future of the country. To paupers of this class existence should bo made as unpleasant as possible by the establishment of farms or workshops where they will be taught the close connection between work and daily sustenance, and where they should be kept under restraint until such time as they show signs of reform. In all cases the position of those in receipt of relief should be a little less pleasant than that of those who are straggling*" of the mest disheartening conditions to maintain their self-respect and avoid applying for charitable aid. No sentimental weakness should ever be allowed to add to the temptation, constantly present with the poor, to abandon the struggle and seek assistance from public funds. The doom of the country is sealed in which the pauper is better fed ‘and better housed than the hard working man, and where self-respect has been sapped to such an extent that i.it is considered no disgrace to seek charitable aid. On these grounds we must give our hearty support to any proposal which will lead to the more careful administration of the funds collected in many cases from citizens who have themselves a hard battle to make both ends meet.