The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1889. CHARITABLE AID.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1853, 14 February 1889, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1889. CHARITABLE AID.

Almost the only glimpse of future policy promulgated by Sir Harry A. Atkinson in his speech at Hawera was that which referred to charitable aid. The present system, he announced, would be greatly modified. The support of persons who had no certain residence, and required charitable aid, would be thrown on the consolidated revenue; the support of casual cases on local rates, subsidised to some extent by a grant from the Government; and the permanent pauper class would be placed on industrial farms, in order to make them a self-supporting community. There is a great deal in these proposals which is worthy of commendation. The abolition of the law of settlement is one which will meet with the approbation of every right thinking man. No better illustration of the working of this law could be given than the case of the girl Maggie Sharp, concerning whom the South Canterbury and Dunedin Charitable Aid Boards went to law not long ago. The girl came from Qamaru to Timaru, where she remained more than six months, which is the duration of time which .constitutes settlement, She spent almost the whole of the time in the destitute ward at Timaru, . and at last she was at her own request sent to Otago, where her parents resided. She no sooner reached Dunedin than she became a charge upon the charitable institution of that city, with the result that after a time the Dunedin Board made a claim on the South Canterbury Board for her maintenance, en the ground that as she had lived during the previous six months in Timaru the South Canterbury Board- was liable for her support. Naturally enough the South Canterbury Board refused to acknowledge the claim, with the result that a lawsuit ensued, and the Resident Magistrate decided in favor of the Dunedin Board. Thus by this decision the South Canterbury Board was saddled with the maintenance for all time of a person who originally came from Otago. It chanced, however, that during the' time that it had been alleged the girl lived in Timaru she went to service at a place on the north bank of the Kangitata river, where she remained three days, and on the ground that by having lived three- days outside the district of South Canterbury she had broken her settlement, the decision of the Eesident Magistrate was upset in the Appeal Court. This case illustrates the ridiculousness of the law of settlement, and it appears to us that most, if not all, people will be very glad te find that the system under which such a dispute was possible is to be abolished. The second proposal contained in Sir Harry Atkinson's speech is to the effect that local rates Bhall bear the burden of supporting casual charity. The large districts are to be abolished, and the distribution of charitable aid made more local. With the exception that it appears to us charitable aid will be rendered inexpressibly complicated by the proposed classification of those' needing charity, we feel inclined to think that this is better than the present system. Local bodies will be in a far better position to distribute charitable aid more satisfactorily than one large board having control of an extensive area, with the greater part of which the members are unacquainted. With the third proposal we heartily agree, while we greatly regret that the need for it has arisen. Hitherto the tendency has been to avoid if possible the pauper system, but at last we find ourselves face to face with it in Sir H. Atkinson's proposed industrial farms. _ There is, we believe, no hope of being able to get on without it, and we are of opinion that nothing better could be done than, to establish the paupers on farms, where they would produce sufficient to support themselves. On the whole, therefore, Sir H. A. Atkinson's proposals commend themselves to us, and we hope they will be carried out,