A NEW CRECHE

. *- !rev-. mother atjbeut's home .:'•. . for, babies; An important department of the good work carried on by the Sisters of Compassion under the direction of the muclirespected Key. Mother Mary Joseph Aubert, is tbo ;creclio:..jn Buckle Street, lhis is a place , , irHerefmothers who'are forced to go out working duringl the diiv maj leave their babies with a knowledge that they will be well cared for until called for again at the close" of the; day. This work has been conducted for'years past in two old wooden cottages in Jiuckle Street (opposite the Basin Reserve), but more room and better quarters were required, and some months ago sufficient money was forth-' coming to enable the E«v. Mother to demolish the old cottages and erect upon tho site a creche that is a creche —a building especially adapted for tlio work. The new building, dosigned by Mr. John S. Swan, and erected by Messrs. Campbell and Bourke, has now been completed, and on Sunday afternoon next it is to be formally opened by Co-adjutor-Archbishop O'Shea. The public are invited to bo present at the ceremony. . '■ ' . The new building is of brick and concrete,- with "compo" dressings of simple Tudor-Gothic design, and has been built with.walls of a sufficient thickness to take* an extra story.at some future date. The,entrance porch (10ft. by 7ft. 6in.) has a tiled floor,' and stamped steel ceiling, and is fitted with-wide, comfortable seats for the accommodation of parents. It opens on to a corridor (Bft. in '.width) that runs the , full, length of the' building.. The chief feature inside is the largo, well-lighted, eunny playroom, where the babies may play in their cradles or about the floor under hygienic conditions of the beet. A sleeping apartment for tired- babies (18ft. by 12ft.)' in the front of the building occupies.the remainder of the space on the eastern half of the building. On the western side are two rooms (each 10ft. 6in. by 10ft. 3m.) for the uso of the babies, a largo up-to-date bathroom with special facilities for bathing infants, a small pantry for the preparation of their food, and tho usual sanitary conveniences. At the back, and fully exposed, to the sun for the .best part of the day, is a wide glazcd-in rorandah, 20ft. in length, and an ideal play-ground for tho youngsters in suitable weather. The inside finish is of plaster, with simple stamped steel ceilings. All the angles have been rounded 'off in hospital style. There are no skirtings dr architraves, and everything has been thought out in the planning to reduce dust and dirt to a minimum. The rooms are lofty, well-lighted, aiid especially well ventilated. \ The sub-contractors were Messrs. Smith and Smith (painting and glazing), Mr. Foley (plastering), and Messrs. Bulford and Drewitt (electric light). Mr. J. T. Waterhouso was tho clerk of works