The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-12
STATE CHARITIES IN AUSTRALIA.
Some of the Methods Adopted in the
Care of Various Glasses.
1mer's Australian Letter.

John Plummer's Australian Letter.
In one particular New South Wales Says
Mr. Coghlan, the state government statis-
tician), in common with the rest of
Australasia, differs greatly from other
countries; especially those of the old world;
wealth is more widely diffused. and the
violent contrast between rich and poor,
which seems so peculiar phase or old
world civilization, finds no parallel in these
southern lands That there Is poverty in
the states is unhappily true, but no one in
Australasia is born into conditions from
which II is not easy 10 escape, and that
hereditary pauper class, which forms so
grave a menace to the freedom OF many
states. has. therefore, no existence either in
the commonwealth or New Zealand. il is
estimated that in the United Kingdom
nine persons in every hundred possess prop
erty to the amount of &lOO whereas In
Australasia the proportion is not less than
l6 per cent This bare statement shows
the great difference between the conditions
of life IN Australasia and in the richest
country of Europe.
No poor rate is levied i'm the common
wealth; and although from time to time
the assistance Of the state is claimed by,
and granted to, able-bOdied men who are
has hitherto generally taken the form of
wages and ratiOns allowed for work
specially provided by the state TO meet
a condition of the labor market which is
abnormal. In New South Wales, as in
the other states, the chief efforts of the
authorities in the cause of charity are
uITGCleu lOWdIu the rescue OF the young
from criminal companionship and tempta-
ton to crime, the support of the aged and
tnfirm, and the care of the imbecile or in
sane; and in granting assistance to private
institutions for the cure of the sick and in
Jured, and to societies established for the
purpose of relieving the pressing neces-
stiles of those of the poorer classes who,
through imprOV1denCe and lack of en-
plOyment by the breadwinner of the family
find themselves temporarily in want. Even
where the state government grants aid for
philanthropic purposes the management of
the institutions supervising the expendi-
ture is in private hands; and, in addition
10 state-aided institutions, there are numer-
Gus other private charities, whose efforts
for the relief of those whom penury, sick
ness, or misfortune has afflicted are be-
yOnd all praise. The rescue of the young
from crime is attempted by means of in
duStr1al schools, where children who have
been abandoned by their natural guardians
or who are likely from the poverty or in
capacity of their parents, to be so neglected
as TO render them liable to lapse into crime.
are taken care OF, educated. and afterward
apprenticed to useful callings; and of re-
formatories where children who have al
ready committed crime are sequestered;
but the accommodation in the latter class
of institution requires extension.
In the year ending June 80. 1901 the New
South Wales state expenditure on hospitals
and charities amounted TO nearly half a
million sterling. the suppression of the bu-
bonic plague absorbing over so, 900. The
number of metropolitan and country hos
pitfalls exclusive or private 1nSUtutiOnS) in
the state is lie. with 1852 beds. In 1900
there were 30,590 in-patients and g. 623 out
patients, the deaths numbering 1922 OF
these latter many were the result of acct
dent. The revenue of these institutions
during the same period was e191 272 of
which amount eSS, $50 was contributed by
the state government, and $50, 1875 by the
public. The various hospitals, large and
small. are constructed with all the latest
improvements and most efficiently man
aged. The state expenditure on hospitals
for the insane was e1l4.929, this including
the cost of the lunacy department. Other
items of state expenditure were: Asylums
for the infirm and destitute, e60,532: state
children's relief, e44.696; maintenance of
destitute sick, s15,000; support of women
and children in benevolent asylums, G4.132:
etc, e1C667; Church Rescue Home, 600;
Salvation Army, $500: Central Mission
Children's Home, e400; Queen Victoria
Home for COnsumptives, e6O0; Infants
Home, $500; Labor Home, 500: Deaf
Dumb and Blind Asylum, $50: and relief
to sufferers by floods, fires. etc, 1.57O.
These figures represent only a portion of
the annual state expenditure on charitable
objects. and do not include the amounts
raised by voluntary efforts and other
means. The total amount annually, raised
from all sources, public and private, in
the state for charitable purposes of every
kind cannot be less than two-thirds of a
million; probably it is considerably more.