The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1888. CHARITABLE AID.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1738, 17 May 1888, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1888. CHARITABLE AID.

Fob some time past the Charitable’ Aid Board felt that many per sods were imposing on them, and some discussion took place as to the best means of putting a stop to such practices. No one seemed to know exactly how to go about it, and at last Mr E. A. Barker gave notice of a motion to the effect that the names of applicants for charitable aid should be published. With characteristic boorishness the Timaru Herald attacked Mr Barker for this, but failed to offer any suggestion as to how to get over the difficulty. The language of the Herald was so violent, and in such bad taste, that it called our attention to the matter, and we felt it our duty to defend Mr barker against the vulgar attack which had been made upon him. In doing so, however, we dissented from the proposal to publish the names of the recipients of charitable aid, but instead of abusing the Board as the Herald did, we pointed out to them a course by which the same end could be gained. We directed their attention to the fact that every local body in South Canterbury contributed to the revenue of the Charitable Aid Board, and suggested that the contributing bodies should act as Boards of Advice to the Charitable Aid Board. At the last meeting of the Charitable Aid Board this suggestion was adopted exactly on the same lines as we laid it down. Now there was a body composed of representative men from all parts of South Canterbury,haggling and wrangling for months over this matter, and there was the Timaru Herald treating them with as little courtesy as if they were a company of pickpockets, yet not one of them could see that the whole matter might be very easily settled until we pointed it out to tht?m. It is not the first time we hare put local bodies right in our time, and it is not the first time members of these bodies have made use of our ideas with much success, but neither now nor then has any of them acknowledged their indebtedness to us. It has always been so, and it will be so, probably, to the end of time. Men have made reputations on other people’s brains, as others have made fortunes on other people’s sweat, and we only share the same fate as many others. At the same time, we think these who very frequently have borrowed ideas from this paper might very well speak kindly of it, instead of trying to injure-it as they often do. There is not in the whole colony, nor probably anywhere else, so good a paper in so small a place, and it has made itself as useful as possible during its existence. At any rate it has done better in the instance referred to than the Timaru Herald; it showed the way out of the difficulty, and it ought to get credit for it.

THE LABORERS’ HOMES SCHEME. According to the Wellington correspondent o£ the Lyttelton Times, Major Steward, has given notice to move on Wednesday, May 23rd (or if the proposed new Standing Orders be then in operation, on Friday, May 25th) — “ That this House will, on the first private members’ day, resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, to consider a respectful address to His Excellency the Governor, requesting him to recommend the appropriation of the sum of £79,000, being the total of the amounts appearing as ‘unallotted ’ in the schedule of ‘ The New Zealand Loan Act, 1887,’ for the formation of a fund for the purchase of land for the establishment of Agricultural Labor Settlements in \ suitable localities where there is no Crown land available for such purpose.” We congratulate the gallant Major on the step he has taken. The £79,000 referred to above is money j which was set down in the schedule J to the Loan Act of last session for immigration purposes, but the House refused to pass it. Sir Harry Atkinson then suggested that it should be allowed to stand unallotted, and promised that it would not be devoted to immigration. To this the House agreed, and thus of the loan which is about to be raised there remains a sum of £79,000 which has not been appropriated for any certain purpose. Major Steward proposes that instead of bringing immigrants into this colony with the money—for doubtless that is the ultimate design of the Government —it shall be devoted to settling the people in the colony in homes on the land. The proposal is at once humane, intelligent, and wise. Men are leaving our shores in thousands, and if this money is devoted to the purpose suggested by Major Steward it will undoubtedly help to keep many in the colony. It will be remembered that the proposal re laborers' homes was originated in this paper in the year 1883, and it will also be remembered that in last March we published an article showing that the schema had been adapted in England and passed into law under the “ Allotments 1887.” This article was copied info the AphjpirtQn Guardian, of which Major Steward js proprietor [ and editor, and in cpmmenting on it 1 tje sgid; ‘‘ Jt is only fair and just tq Mr Tsyoipoy, wljo i§ edftpp qf fhe Leader, and who was one of the pandidates for the Gladstone constituency

at the last general election, to say that he was the first advocate in New Zealand of the principle contained in the English ‘ Allotments Act ’ above referred to, and published in 1883 a ’ Laborers’ Homes scheme,’ which was submitted to the late Government before any ‘Land Aquisition Bill’, saw the light.” Thus Major Steward has generously given “ credit to whom credit is due.” The proposal was that there should be purchased at regular distances from each other allotments of from 5 to 10 acres, according to the quality of the land, and that on these should be settled agricultural laborers, under the perpetual leasing system. In thickly populated districts the allotments might be distributed over the country, in the proportion of one to every 300 acres, for in such an area each laborer would find plenty of work. On this principle about 1500 families could easily be settled with the £79,000. and as they would pay a rental of 5 per cent, on the capital value the money would at once be reproductive. It would, in fact, leave a margin for revenue purposes after paying interest on capital. We have frequently consulted farmers on the subject, and can say that they are all in favor of it, as it would be advantageous to themselves. We sincerely trust that Major Steward will succeed in his undertaking. If energy, intelligence, and political sagacity can do it we have not the least doubt but that he will.