CHILD CARE AND WELFARE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 167, 18 July 1927, Page 11

CHILD CARE AND WELFARE.

"The responsibility for the welfare of the child retts with the community," said Mrs. Nellie E. Ferner, in her address at the League of New Zealand Penwomen Friday afternoon. "It has only been in recent years that this awaking of community responsibility has taken place. Every child has certain fundamental riehts which include the needful requirements for physical and mental health, normal home life and education. Family life is the ideal life for a child. Uis the highest and finest product of civilisation. As regards the training of the child Mrs. Ferner said that the parents of to-day are doing great things in trying to train the child wisely but there is still a great proportion of parents who, iu their search for pleasure, leave their children to the upbringing of others, which is often misdirected." Mrs. Ferner also spoke feelingly on the wise use of leisure time which is a subject to which sufficient importance is seldom attached. "It is not generally recognised," she said, "that when a child is at, liberty and does as he pleases that the cours of his life is largely determined. It is then that his habits and friendships are formed. Too much cannot be done for the child to train it to make use of leisure time. Considering the importance it has upon the future of the child, the training of its leisure should be made a special featm-e in our tduc-ational system. Every child has within it a kind of aching void for something interesting and exciting, and if it is not filled with something that is good for him, he will undoubtedly fill it with wrong doing. Therefore, a useful outlet must be pro vided for their energy during this rest less period. Boys have the social instinct largely developed. This often leads to the formation of street gangs in which they are not only a menace to a city but are often a positive danger. The first thing to do is to get them off the streets and then find some occupation that is exciting for them and yet works for their good. So many people treat leisure as if it should be filled with activity merely to keep the child out of mischief and regard it as haviug purely a negative value. By sport, which is an ideal way of filling the child's leisure time, the character is gradually moulded. They are taught to do their hardest to win, but to win fairly or not at all." Mrs. Ferner sketched the activities of the clubs which are being formed throughout the city where the children! are encouraged off the streets. Here they aid taught things to make and to do, hobbies to interest them and given a totally different outlook on life.

"Though our club is very young," said Mrs. Ferner, in conclusion, "it is a growing delight to those of us who have watched from the beginning to see how it is affecting individuals. The response to our efforts has been wonderful. There is no doubt that this new movement for such clubs in certain localities is fraught with the utmost possibilities for the rising generation."'

A delightful old preventive against moth? wns made by mixing an ounce each of cloves, caraway seeds, nutmeg, cinnamon, tonquin t>eans, and as much orris root as all the other ingredients put together. The whole of these ingredients was ground to tine powder and put into little bags for use in the wardrobe or linen cupboard.