AN ANOMALOUS POSITION

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2607, 15 September 1909, Page 4

AN ANOMALOUS POSITION

CLERGYMAN APPLIES TO BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION FOR A LOAN.

[Per Press Association.! WELLINGTON, Sept, 14. The Rev. J. Morton Barnes, 8.A., was an applicant to the Trustees of the Benevolent Institution yesterday. He requested that the trustees should (1) pay his debts, amounting to upwards .of‘£2o; (2) advance him £SO so that he might publish a book; (3) supply himself and family with board and food for three months; and (4) pay fares of himself, his wife, and three children to England. Applicant appeared personally, and in reply to questions said he had been resident in Wellington for two years, and during that time had had no defined occupation, although be had tried to do what he could for the people. He was a graduate of prte at Cambridge, and had attended Manchester College.. Oxford. He was brought up in the Anglican Church, but had been assitant to a famous Unitarian cleric at Home. He had not applied for an ad exendem degree of the New Zealand University. He had been unsuccessful in his application to tho Education Board for a position. He had been unable to secure recognition or work from the Unitarian Church in New Zealand. He knew of the Rev. Jellie and Dr. Tudor Jones. He had formerly been able to earn about £2 per week by the sale of panmhlets, and had been recently organising a body having for its ambition the control by* the State of the liquor traffic in New Zealand. In regard to the concessions desired, the chairman (Mr. J. Smith) said that the Board existed merely in order to deal with cases of absolute destitution. It had nothing to do with loaning money or assisting people with enterprises. The Board decided.to grant only rations for the applicant and those dependent on him.