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Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1074, 23 May 1873, Page 2

The estimates for the current year contain, under the head " Charitable," an item of £I7OO for the maintenance of destitute poor. A similar appro priation has been made tor many sessions, but information as to the expenditure of the money has been to some extent withheld from the public. For the year ending 31st March last, the expenditure was £414 4s 4d, dispensed it may be presumed almost exclusively in and around Nelson City, for in all cases wherein pressing need has arisen for charitable aid to sufferers on the Goldfields the means have been obtained from the pockets of private individuals. The local authorities when appealed to have no fund at their command to relieve even the most urgent cases and private benevolence has, perforce, to meet all claims. The appeal is rarely if ever made in vain, nor would be even amid greater depression of trade and lack of money than now prevail, but it is not just that those who generously respond to every call upon their often limited means, should be expected or rather compelled to continue unaided thendeeds of charity, while other more tavorod communities within the province have access to the Provincial coffers from whence to dole out their charities. If it is necessary to make a yearly vole of £I7OO for "charitable i purposes it is surely necessary to also expend that amount, but instead of doing so, a portion of the money onlv is expended on the poor or suffering iu Nelson City and suburban settlements, and what might be with equal justice allotted for expenditure among the goldfields communities, is selfishly withheld and figures in the yearly statement of Provincial accounts as so much money saved. To deal justly with the appropriation it should be fairly divided for expenditure throughout the Province, and the disbursement of sums alloted to the goldfields towns be entrusted to the Resident Magistrates, who, exercising their discretion, would meet all appeals for assistance by direct aid or bv supplementing the gifts of the public. An infinite amount of good might be thus done, and voluntary benevolence would be stimulated rather than deterred. At present there is not even a " Poor Box" iu the Court-houses on the goldfields, from whence a shilling may be given to save a poor wretch from starving.