MUTUAL REGISTRATION OF ASSISTANCE. [TO ma EDITOR. OF TRIC "SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—May we appeal through your columns for support to a, branch of work of the Charity Organisation Society, known as Mutual Registration of Assistance? This work has been carried on by the Society for several years. In 1909 it was- consolidated and centralized. Its methods are simple. The charitable and philanthropic agencies of a district are
invited to send to a common centre the names and addresses- of those persons or families whom they have helped, or whom.
they propose to help. All such names are indexed by the registrar, who reports confidentially to such agencies when a. case is known to two or more of them. By this means the following results are aimed at, and, indeed, have been attained:
closer and more friendly co-operation among the agencies of a. district, leading to far more effective methods of help; economy in time, effort, and expense ; prevention of " overlapping " of relief and visiting ; detection of professional begging.
The Society has now established thirty-six registration.
districts in London, each with a local office, and has a central Clearing House or Exchange at Denison House. In 1912 some 1,500 metropolitan agencies were co-operating, sending in about 250,000 notifications of names, and receiving, in the appropriate cases, nearly 49,000 reports of " overlaps " or other information. The district registrars and their assistants are in nearly all oases honorary workers, and they would welcome new volunteers to help them. The work has added consider- ably to the expenses of the Society. The cost varies from. year to year, but in 1912 it amounted to about 21,400. During
that period some 2350 or 2360 was given to meet this by the- agencies concerned and by friends, leaving over 21,000 a year-
to be drawn from the general funds of the Society. One of our correspondents recently wrote of the work :—
"We feel that it is invaluable to us to have the means of ascertaining what other persons or agencies are interested in the- fsmaies whose delicate children are brought to our notice, and in this way much time is saved, and often valuable help secured &r- an invalid child who needs some special treatment."
Registration, in short, secures more effective help for those- in need. Subscriptions and donations should be sent to C. S. Loch, Secretary Charity Organisation Society, Denison House,.
Vauxhall Bridge Road, S.W.—We are, Sir, &c.,
METHIIMN,
Chairman of the Council of the Society.
Fiwicie /Joan's,
Chairman of Administrative Committee.-'
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