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Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 348, 7 September 1889, Page 3

The Wy.ipaw’% County Council having passed a resolution that the dispensation of charitable aid in that district was unsatisfactory, the administrator (Mr Mackcrsey) said his administration cost only half that cf his predecessor, and he said a report which he had asked for as a condition upon which he undertook the duties, showed reckless expenditure that had not its equal in any part of New’ Zealand. It really appeared not as if there had been any endeavor to administer charitable aid, but an endeavor to spend as much money as possible. One case reported on was that of a widow at Woodville. She had property valued for property tax purposes at £l2OO, and the valuation had not been disputed, so that it was quite safe to suppose that that was the minimum value. There was a building on the section, and the woman owned sheep, cattle, horses, and a general working plant, yet she had been getting £1 a week as charitable aid from the Waipawa County Council. Nearer Wa-ipawa he found that he could knock off at least 25 per cent of those receiving charitable aid from the Waipawa County Council, although no more entitled to it thau the speaker was, One case was that of a widow who received £2O from a olnb at the death of her husband, who. also received £5O as the result of a public subscription, and who was in receipt of rent from land. He found out that she had been able to spend £l2O between two Christmas days, and yet she waa granted £1 a week as charitable aid by the Waipawa County Council, Another case was that of a man who owned property, who kept two greyhounds, and waa able to boast that he had not missed a single coursing meeting on the plains, and he, too, waa granted £1 a week as charitable aid from the Council.