THE CRECHE.

TO THE 9DITOH. ■ Sib, —It is gratifying' to find that an effort is baing made to establish a " creche," or in fants' day nursery, in Dnnedin, which we hopa may be crowned with success and the little children rescued from danger, thus giving a direct aim to prevent the larrikinism so often and grievously compiained of.: I believe that a meeting is to be h-ld at an early date, when it is hoped kidd, hearty, and willing bands will not be wanting to help on the good cause., < '■■ Trusting to tha powerful support of •the Press, —I am, &c, . - '.'. "Creche."' : July sth. ~ "., ••• ■-.•.■■ . ■;.. ;.-;■.'; ■,;' ;

The following extracts with, ragardtb these institutions will be read with intf re»t:—- : ■■■

Quotation from an aiticlo by Lady Georgiria Veinon on her experience if various day.'uuc-, series:—" The first desideratum in such an un : dertaking is to get a really cheerful, healthy house, with, if possible, a little garden or court, which may bo turned into a playground by the help of matting for the babies to roll about on whera green grais.cai.not be had.' Let the two chief rooms have a bright, sunny, aspect, which would be a nureery for the babies and a playro m for theeldtrone. . Sunshine, is ai go.)d for the little ones as love, arid without these no young tting can thrive. There should also be a smaller roi.m, where the pothers may come to theiryoung babies, v hichisoncof tbe most esssnti jI rules of the nureery, for it ia almcst impoj- ' aible to rear a number of infanta without their natural food. Hero and there* you may.Snd a, healthy child broaght up byhand,but snch have not the stamina as those fed by their mothers, as will often be provod if sickness befall them, when the only remedy in many cases is breust-milk. In our day nursery the head nurte is a widow, whose daughter is, our teacher, and they occupy the kitchen as their sittiug-room. The rent-of tha bouse in' the trial, otherwise our nursery would p»y its way, for the children's panca quite pay'saUries of nurte, ' help,' and t acheri... ; . . " Our rule U to allow a pint of new milk a day for eaih baby,! which is thickened with well-baked flour after, the baby is six months old. To tbo.i6 abinre a year we give boiled1 broad aud milk, rice and milk, mashed potatce?, or some other simple food, alwayi using, milkasthfl utaple »vticlo of their diet; while children of two year* and upwards go home to dinner, nnlees home U too far off, aud then they may bring tbeir dirnars with them. And so, wiih thankful hearts, we-gather in the -little ones from crowded cottages, and from the streets, full of danger to th ir fragile lives, and believe wa may humbly: cay' we have had a blessing on our work, f^r in thtse three years we had not once to 0'.03e our nursery from any infectious disdase. Audliere our word of thank* to our medical man, who ullows any child who appeirs sick when received at the nursery, in toe morning, to be sent dirt of to kU house for any opinion, and if necessary a dose— this has bean an untold boon to us. And now let _me urge those who can to 'go aud do likewise,' fetliug quite sure that the c»re of th?ee little onss will n.it loss iU reward."

Tha Lancet s>ya:—The "Creche."— This inalitutioii, borrowed frJm a continental community, which provides for the care of young children while their natural guardian? are em played in daily labour, has strong claim) on public sympathy. The Cr. che haß been established iv many districts as a purtia'.ly »elfsupyorting enterprise, and, undar proper umna-jenuent, has bean highly Micce'sful. Well conducted, the pro visuTL sLould meet the legitimate needs ot many ,ca-es iv which recourae has been, and it is to be feared s'.ill ie, largely had to baby-farming. The infants of women who earn thtir bn-ad by daily1 labour have been put out to nurse at a small rate of paymii.t, probably often nut forthcoming at the etipulattd period, aud the little ones have been negleoted. Out*ide the area of the woret mischief done by baby-farming—that in which a malignant purpose is suppueed to bo at work — there v a wide Eone of evil arising From the alrcodt unavoidable withdrawal of maternal care during the hours of labour; and when the wearied mothtr does resume the ousted? of her offspring, she is in no condition to minister to its necessities, much less to its health snd comfort. By opening hourea where young children can be left by day, and from which they will be delivered to their parents, fed and clei>nly, at night, a great deal id done to lender baby-farming v.nn» cesoary. Institutions of this int. resting and irrportant cla-w should be multiplied ; and, conducted siini.ly w th an ejo t > the welfare of tho poor, they wi 1 minister to a crying need, and do much to arrest a hitherto growiigf evil."

The folloviiug I Her wa< addressed to the Young Women's Christian Afsoeiatirm :— " Lleaf Madame;—l would deeire to lay the following matters before the ladies of your AsSi c:a!ion, hoping that they will accept my communication as havii g fur its motive a desire to decrease crime and suffering, and to gather in the young to the fold of Jesus. ' "In Dutiediu tlier* are veiy many mothers

who are widows, or virtually widows, who have to work out bs charwomen, and who, in doing bo, are under the neccsuty of leaving their children tbe whole day in a most unsatisfactory way as to physical attention and moral supervijion.

" Permit me to mention three cases which have just come under my notice. " No. 1. Husband died last Christmas-time. Has twe children. Live* by knitting and the help of neighbours. Would not give up her children to the Industrial School, 'as that would throw them amongst the criminal class.' Prefetß slayiDg at home withi them on leas, that they may be cared for. , "No. 2. Toe person now referred Jto went out to work—has bean doing so for two or threo years. This has resulted in her three ehildw n being placed is the Industrial Schovl. She is a well-conducted person and a church member. The eldest child contracted irregular habits and could not be constrained to attend school. "No 3. This person's husband died about two years ago. H»r eldest little girl—a sweet child—is said by the doctor to have contracted incurable heart-disease, resulting: from rheu^' matio fever, which her mother a=signs to her absence from home when out working. ';''.'" "To meet these painful results it might perhaps »J)e taken into consideration by your Association the formation of a creche, such aa is written about in the enclosed copy of the " Christian." . .

"Proceeding from the establishment of such & simple institution, the following advantages, with God's blessing, might be realised :— 1. The influx of juveniles" to the Industrial School might be decreased, because the children would not grow up with' street habitß. Connected with the creche there might be an infant school taught by a young lady. "2. Disease through negltct might be de-e.-eaied.

."3; Juvenile depravity through the forced absence of supervision might be decreased. One iriOde by which non-ecbool children are depraved is by gathering and selling bottlea and old metal to the Chinamen for lollies or cigarel tea. When visiting one day, I found two little girls about 10 nmokiDg cigarettes. " 4. Perhaps most important of all is the preatrvation of the parontal tie. A mother going out to work would _ leave her child about 8 o'clook in the morning at the creohe ornurlery, feel quite contented air day that nothing was going wrong, call-in the evening when re-turning,-taking her child or ohiidien with her. Thuß the most eacred tie remains steadfast, and her children, who are her chief joy and blecsing, remainattacbed to h,er in heart., Besides, that tio is the chief inducement to moral welldoing of a human nature, and the chief foitres3 against evil the children caa have as they grow

Up. ■ ■ God can supply you with the money. "H» has all bearta in His keeping., Through the. " Scripture JFree School" I taught, these things' have been pressed en my notice.—l am, &c, ■ . Waltkb Patbhson.