The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1892.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4026, 3 February 1892, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1892.

The visit of the Eev, Mr Mayers to Masterton reminds us of the gigantic charitable institutions which have been developed in England. Probably somewhere about £75,000 per annum has to be begged to keep going the Barnardo homes, Millions of letters and printed appeals are despatched to all parts of the globe asking for help, some of them being of a sensational character evidently framed by a clever literary expert to enlist sympathy and to ensure a subscription, The begging machinery of this single colossal charity must cost many thousands of pounds every year, and when we remember that it is one of a vast number of organisations of a philanthropic character, we come to the conclusion that millions of money are raked in annually for charitable institutions. There is a shady as well as a sunny side to these gigantic charities. In some instances they are carried on partly for the sake of a number of persons who form a working staff, and who derive comfortable incomes from them, and this is one of tho evils which have to be guarded against when vested imerests are created out of charitable institutions of a popular character. Again it is doubtful how far the separation of children from their natural guardians promotes the greatest good of the greatest number. The grander task would be to stimulate negligent and vicious parents to abandon evil courses and do their duty by their offspring. The release which is given to a father or mother, when a child is established in a home is often no doubt the severance «f the last link which connects the parents with society and, freed from all responsibility, they drift hopelessly and deßparingly, On the other hand the removal of thousands of children from the haunts of vice to pure and healthy surroundings is a great gain for which the world may be thankful. These large sooial movements are on their trial, and few of them have met with so large a measure of success as the Barnado homes. There is a teudenoy in modem charity organisation to interpret one's duty towards ono's neighbour to be paying so much gold or silver per annum, to pliilan thropio organisations, There are, however, higher forms of practising this Christian virtue in which pecuniary considerations do not enter, and perhaps it is to be regretted that great institutions should relieve individuals of the necessity of taking a kindly personal interest in their fellow men, The rich philanthropist of tho nineteenth century is a patron and tho poor and unfortunate are pensioners. Human brotherhood is hustled off the scene, and if we desire to find some place where' it is still recognised we should probably have to travel to eomo up country station whore the wayfarer, whether of high or low estate, is received with a kindly greeting and fed and lodged without question of payment or compensation, In England the duties of the parent and tbe neighbour are gradually becoming relegated to big institutions and this is hardly the millenium for' which good people should strive.