HOSTEL REQUIRED

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 155, 4 July 1938, Page 11

HOSTEL REQUIRED

BACKWARD CHILDREN.

PRESSING NEED URGED. MINISTER. SYMPATHETIC. The pressing need for a In «t el in And;land fur backward children was in,. i ; '.,i to-day to the notice nf the "Mii:i-1 • ■■!' Interna] Aff'.iirs. tlie Jim!. W. ]•'.. I'.n y. who heard, on behalf of tiie I'iimc Mm ister. the Kt. llmi. M. .1. Saxi-c a deputation representing the \.i-i. I.i ml Institute for the Care nf Jl,i.\\\ n ! Children. The Minister expressed sympathy with the institute in its need-. .1:1! promised to Urine; the represent .ti■ !•- before the Prime Minister, \v I:.>. he f. !i sure, would also receive tln-ui -ym pathetically. "I believe you are on ! rijsrlit lines,*' Mr. I'arrv mi id. Tlie president of the in-1 it ut .■ Mi-s B. Carnaehun, said the imi w i•rreatly indebted tn Mr. I'airy for hihelpful attitude towards it* w..:';. and it was most, happy over the a l|.. -a ti. .n of £1")0 which, as announced 1., day. was to be made to it from the surplus profits of art unions.

Cases which had come under her personal notice were described by Mi.-. |;. E. Dow din;:, a member of the commit t i-e of the institute, (die iii.-l ;i iwi: \\.i- lh.it of a <:irl in North Auckland, uhw mother had heard of the institute and asked for its a»-i-taucc. Many Appeals Received. "We thought we could arr.uiL'e 5,,, M,. means of hoardinj the jjii 1 in town and so be able to help her to lead a i Useful and fuller life" Mrs. Howling added. "We found it impossible. h..w ever, to find a place where she c.iil.l be suitably kept. In fact, her mother spent two or three weeks vainly looking for a place."

Tliere was another oa-c nf :i vhiiil'ci' girl in Xwrlh Auckland w li. ■-.(• |..i i ,-ni - had been advised liy :t doctor In send licr mvnv from home so that her mother might jjaill some rc-t. from the Mriiin of look in" ji ft cr her. Mr«. JJowdin- .-aid. The only possible <-<■!iiii..ll would haw lictll to send the girl to the South Island. Appeals from K-iitiiiii, l>arga villo. liotorua, the \\ ;i:k:ilo. the ll:i,v of I'lciily, Fcilding. (lichonic and New J'lynioutli wore mentioned l,y Mi.-- !•'. Waddinghum, secretary of the in-lit ut. •. 1 lie letters had l.'-oii -o pleading that the institute had a: ranged wit I: an Auckland lady, •lm had generously ollercd her llel]», to hoard a few ot i he' child i en. "We thought W( , would try out this plan of a tiny ho-tel, hut unfortunately the lady )>rol;o down under the strain of looking alter them night and day," said .Mi.-s Waddinghatil. "She had to send them home. "These cases have been crowding around us during the la.-t few week*, and we felt we would like to place the matter before Air. Savage again.'' When Schooling Ends. An important aspect of the desirability of a hostel, apart from the housing of country children, wuk brought forward by Airs. K. O'Jlalloran, treasurer of the institute. In a hostel might be found the solution of tlie prohlem <d' what to do with the children once they i liad finished their s< hooling. The e.\Iperiment of keeping them on and allowing them to help to run the institution had been successfully made iu America and England, she added.

The children could not lie called mental ousea, Miss Carnachan next pointed out. Their academic powers miL'lit he weak, Lut they could be trained iii ha::dcraft and oilier activities. It there was a hostel and occupational centre, they could be taught to make articles I'.iV sale und eo become almost self-support-ing. ''I can assure you of my very <rreat sympathy with \ our work*" .Mr". Parry re])lied. He knew that a hostel was needed, and he knew the great dilli.ulties laced by the parents of backwaid children. He would be -lad to discuss the matter with the Prime Minister und to express to him his uun belief in the desirability of finding some solution. The Minister asked the deputation that if in the meantime they could arrange some place where country children could be looked after, the institute should let him know, and lie would do all he could to help them.