Charitable Aid.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3138, 10 March 1879, Page 2

Charitable Aid.

CONFEBENCE OF LOCAL BODIES.

A conference of Borough and County Councils was held at the Borough Council Chambers this afternoon. Present—the County Chairman (in the chair), Cm Brown, McGowan, Mennie, Bagnall, Coutts, Carpenter, Porter, Ehrenfried, Speight and Deeble. The Chairman read the letter from tfi* M County Council on which the conference was held. Some preliminary discussion then took place, the County members urg^.. ing that Hospitals, Asylums Ac, should be supported by the General Government and the Borough members arguing that they must take the law as it was and come to a fair understanding. Cr Brown said he would be in favor of the County paying for its paupers and sick, but only as a temporary mea* sure. - •.

The Chairman said the fact of the mat* ter was the Borough Council, having made a mess of it, now wished to draw the County in. There had been a conference at Wellington at which certain resolutions had been carried, and the Borough had gone exactly contrary to the conference.

In aniwer to Cr Carpenter, the secretary said that the patients in the Hospital and Lunatic Asylum were the same in-^ number from County and Borough. a 40^ The Chairman aaid that they would pay to the Hospital and support their, own paupers. ' Cr McGowan contended that the ' Borough had not made a meas of the. Charitable Aid arrangements, as they pared money by it. Cr Brown said they were already' top* porting the sick and destitute. He thought that the Borough had made a mistake in assisting' the Government by . undertaking their function!. ' ;i Cr Ehrenfried said that the Borough had saved £4i00; - >•

The Chairman said that legislation was ' bound to be brought to bear to alter -the ■'- present arrangements. There were £36,000 on the Estimates for Lunatic Asylums. ' He raored—"That the meeting is of opinion that all hospitals and charitable' institutions should be supported out of the consolidated revenue of the Colony, or by endowments set apart for that pur* pose; but, as a temporary measure, the County Council agrees to contribute to- ' - wards the maintenance of Thames Hospital pro rata; also, to make provision for their own destitute." , Mr Carpenter argued that though the - principle of local bodies supporting < r lunatic asylums, etc., was to his mind wrong, still he thought the County should: ■ pay an equitable share of ajl charger of charitable aid, including lunatic aiytumsi He then moved a resolution, affirming - the principle. Cr Porter endorsed Cr Carpenter*! remarks. ' '

Cr Brown seconded the Chairman*!, motion. Cr Bagnall said that if it was going to dost the County Council as'the statement, said it would—£looo—it was no use birking the question, and was all darned nonsense.' They could not pay it. (Cr Bagnall was informed the County would hare to pay about £500. There were about £1000 of Government subsidy.) He said they must go the whole hog or none, and he was in favor of going none. ' Cr Brown thought that 7 the, Count/ •„. Council were not ripe for this discussion, 1 as it was evident'that with some member! a change of opinion yon the matter has taken place since this morning. The Chairman then put his motion to the County Councillors present and it was carried—s Toting for it. '• 'S y' I'rr* f} The meeting then adjourned.