CHARITABLE AID.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 122, 22 June 1909, Page 3

CHARITABLE AID.

Latterly there have been numbers of men tramping through this district with "bluoy up," which, being interpreted, means that they carry their blankets and other necessaries' strapped upon their hacks. There Slave been many .such applicants at the local charitable aid office just recently, and it lias become quite n problem. Such a board,, it is felt, exists for tliu relief of distress amongst its own poor, ami the men who casually call in from Wellington, Auckland, or some other home of chronic unemployment, have to submit a pretty good case before they can mak» the 'visit a pro'iitaole one. Young men, old men, married and single, all teli the s'anle tale of hard times and hard lines, no food, no friends, no money.

The secretary here is an excellent guardian of the public purse in this respect—some say he exercises an undue strictness in Ids' investigation into the circumstances of each applicant for.relief. Generally speaking, if in doubt, be refers his "eases" to the chairman, and Mr. Bellringer is, as' he said at yesterday's meeting, "a oit softer" than the secretary.

Upon the reading of the charitable aid report yesterday members comimented on the increased number of applications. Particular attention was paid to the report on two single, ablebodied men who, after tramping the country, obtained a feed and halfaerown from the chairman. Cr. O'Suilivan was led to remark that lie "had no time" for this sort of thing. Ho related a case in which a man had recently toured the district telling a tale of poverty arising out of live weeks', idleness after .seven years of regular employment. His opinion was that any man who had had regular I work for that time, and then iost his [ employment, should not be begging ■ charity in five weeks, and he wouldn't be. cither, if he hadn't drunk his money.

This view was not shared by the chairman, who, however, deferred to his colleague's view, as having had greater opportunities, perhaps, for ob-

servation. Now. whilst as a general thing, a regular worker for seven years should enable a man to put a bit aside for a rainy day, it should be remembered that many .men in the eiti"S live a precarious life, working on wharves, and dependim; On casual labor. And ninler those conditions', icmilar in (heir wav, (he -.iveriiL'e earnings niay not average more than .'llls a week. Lessen casual labor, and the position become more acute than ev- r. and .after seven years "regular" work the man sets out on the trump. Wiveand families can't live on air. Mr. G. W. Browne considered that (he man who was '-game" to take io the ro-id in search of work hail snmrthing i;i him (lint was' worth oiicoiiiiniing. but Mr. Andrews snid the majority of the swagmcii were looking for work and earnestly pnvlag that thev would lint find it. Thev wouldn't ' take a joii if it were offered to them. Duriii" the meetimr an account was given of the Board's experience, wilii one of thee unemployed. He had no work In go to. and no money, lie was offered work by (he Board.'and as it would not be ready for a week, r,e would be iriven hpnril an I hubjing :n the meantime. Tim-c divs later he srot drunk, and made a nirsaiu-e at the Old People's llmnc. iinmn-in-r

proncrtv to Hie extent of nlmiii llr-' -•■ shilling, lie was i'oon looU'irj for another job.