Charitable Aid.

The question of how to deal with the poor was a burning one and would have to be faced. The vote for charitable aid last session was £90,000, and that could not last, for it was impossible for the Government to go on paying at that rate. Then what was to be done? Poor they must always have, for some would be maimed in the struggle for life, while there were also weaklings to be cared for, who perhaps owed their state of dependence not to themselves but to their parents. That it was good to have the poor with us he fully believed, for it brought out all our best and kindest and highest feelings, and it taught page break us that we must not live for ourselves alone but for others, and if the poor could depend for aid upon those who had the means it would be better for both, the giver and the receiver, than that they should have to go to the State for a pittance, and he sincerely hoped that they would never see a poor tax in New Zealand. It was sometimes said "Look at that man; there he is rolling in wealth and never gives a shilling to the poor. Why not tax him, and so get hold of some of his money for those who want it?" That was all very well, and he should certainly like to get some of his money, but he believed that he was doing far more injury to himself than if he gave one tenth of his means to the poor. (Cheers and laughter). In everything we did there was a reflex action upon us and in doing good to others we were doing good to ourselves, while the mean and niggardly were laying up treasure where it was doing, and could do, no good to themselves or to anybody else.