CHARITABLE AID MANAGEMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 3 July 1907, Page 2

CHARITABLE AID MANAGEMENT.

To tlio Editor. Mir, iour paper was selected to air the grievance of a recipient of chariable aid re tit© 11011-dolivery of iirewood. because I thought as you are a comparatively new-comer, you, with your paper, would have been free from" the iranjmeis of the clique who lmve for ,so long made New Plymouth a by-word m the colony. J|y letter slipuld have been published when sent, and the secretary of the Charitable Ai,| Board could have replied in the usual way it he tnoughl iit. Instead of which you pufblish a long footnote dealing main-y with extraneous matter, which you must have been at groat inconvenience to obtain. What in the name of goodness has your footnote explaining every item this poor woman receives in the way of charitable aid to do with Lie fact that a load of firewood requisitioned on June 14th was nut delivered t.il a fortnight later! If her ease had lot been fully considered by the Charitable Aid Boar.], I suppose she would not have been entitled to tlio relief. Surety this Hoard is competent to deal with its own business, after consideration of this particular case, without acting en tue pert suggestion of tile JuspecrorCeneial of Hospitals; or is the implied threat Lo bo titkeii by the recipient us a hint to "rest and be thankful," The tacts of the case published in my lirst letter arc correct—l am, etc., ALPIIA, [\\ here serious allegations vclleeliug on the management of a public institution are maide jby an anonymous correspondent, it is only right mid proper I hat the institution concerned should have its side or explanation presented to the public, where, of course, it is possible. Had "Alpha" attached his name to his letter there would not have been tile Name objection to publishing Iho contribution without the explanation of the J'nard's seciv'ary. In that event the latter could have replied of hi> own accord, had lie liked. JJut we Will not allow those columns to be made the vehicle ot atlacli-. on p.-rsoni; or institutions under cover of ;inor<viiiiiy Without the oilier side t111; njfpf>ilunity of explanation. A* for the complaint made by "Alpha,"' the wh )le thing depends upon the date when 4 Jie application for iirewood was made by the widow. "Alpha" savs it was made .m Ihe J-tlh nit., and was not delivered on Friday last—two weeks afterwards. The secretary of the lioard denies llmt this wa* so: he states that Hie applieiliou was received on -Tune :J|. ;ul) [ the wood ordered two days afterwards, and lelivered by Thursday. The Board's secretary would hardly make these positive statements if tliev could not bu supported by fads.—Ed-]