Charitable Aid and Hospital Bill.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 323, 11 July 1889, Page 2

Charitable Aid and Hospital Bill.

At the Borough Council meeting on Tuesday the Charitable Aid and Hospitals BUI now before Parliament was brought u> for consideration. By request tb« floor*, tary prepared a statement showing what would be tho effect of the new mouur*, Mr McKay’s report wax a most inteUigent review of the position, every point Ming grasped and impartially commented on. Of course his opinion wae a moat adverse one, being that the present Act was unsatisfactory, but the proposed change would b 4 a great deal worse. The Chairman said the principle of th* Bill seemed to him a good one ; it was that support should not be dependent on voluntary contributions, and it seemed to him the only - J way of making people pay their fair share towards charitable purpose*, instead of th* tew that were generous and willing te giv* being always looked to for th* support, Or Lucas said ha had given close attention to the matter, and he wae strongly opposed to the Bill, as it was most inequitable in it* effect. It meant shifting the responsibility ot Government on to the shoulder* et th* local bodies. The very reason that Mr Hislop puts forward in favor of the measure mad* him (Or Luoae) antagonistic of it. On* instance given by Mr McKay would show th* effect if the Bill became law. For old men whose maintenance they could not ensure for less than 15., they would, by the new Bill, M only get 3* 6.1, Everyone in th* Colony r (said Or Luca.) contributed to the taxes, on their food, clothing, &e.— even the poor man had to do so, and when they subsequently needed aid they had a just claim on the Go* vernment, through whom had contributed taxes Government admitted this by saying they would give a poor pittance, but that more must not be asked. The principle of the Bill was wrong—it was an attempt to divert the responsibility ot the Government on to the shoulders of local bodies. Wher*. they had to put their hands into their pMWti for one shilling now, they would have tymake h it three shillings it the Bill became lajf ( a it* present form. He moved that the QSuncil expresses its opposition to u, anf; Mr* Graham, M.H.B ,be oommunicatsa w | t h to that effect. — Cr Dunlop said the Bill had some good features, but on the whole was very objectionable. If the Bill became law, they would bar* to raise locally instead of £2OO (taking last year’s estimate) the sum ot £458. It was plain that the Government wished to shift the responsibility on to the local bodies. At present there were laws in force to punish prisoners, idlers, and tramps, but it this Bill were paseed, and a homo made for such people, they would have them all rushing into it; and further, nothing was said about the support of the wives and families ot those people, which no doubt would devolve on the local bodies. He seconded the motion. Or Joyce did not approve of th* Bill, though there were some good points in it, and tor th* very reason Cr L-ioas objected to it, he was in* dined in favor of it. He believed, 1 owever, if the Bill became law, it would come much heavier on this district. Taking it as ■ whole he opposed the Bill—there were some good clauses in it, but some very bad ones. Cr Lucas said the Bill did not come from the constituencies—it was from the Government, who wished to transfer their respom eibilities on to the local bodies,

The motion was carried unanimously, with; out fqrther discussion,