WALTHAM ORPHANAGE ENQUIRY.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12441, 2 March 1906, Page 5

WALTHAM ORPHANAGE ENQUIRY.

THE COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.

'CONDEMNATION OF MANAGEMENT. Mr H. "W. Bishop, S.M., the Commissionor appointed to enquire into allegations reflecting on the control of the. Waltham Orphanage, has made his report to the GoTornor. Tho report states that Mr Caesidy, who appeared as solicitor for Mr George Soott, had formulated the following charges and complaints:— CHARGES AND ALLEGATIONS. 1. That tho Charitable Aid Orphanage is and has boon improperly managed and controlled. 2. That tho Charitable Aid Board has in ite management and control of the Orphanage departed from the real purpose of such Orphanace, inasmuch as instead of it being used entirely as a home for orphan children it has been made in wry many cases a receiving homo to paes them along to other institutions and places. 3. That there is and hae been an absence of sound moral training and teaching, apart from controversial doctrines, in the bringing up of tiie orphan children in such Orphanage, and no effort is made or has toen made to form and strengthen tho character and develop the intelligence of the children placed therein. 4. That the example and influence of thoea responsible for tho children do not tend to implant in the children euch foundations of conduct as are essential to make them good and upright and useful members of the community. 5. That the matron of such Orphanage has been unduly ha.reh in. the treatment of certain of the- children, inmates of such Orphanage. 6. That sho has drceeed orphan children in grotesque costumes with the intention of holding them up to Kdiculo and merriment. 7. That eh© has taunted children with the fact of their relatives belonging, to the unfortunate class of the. community, and oalletf. them mockingly by the names of such relatives, and made flippant references to them. 8. That the pereons or perton respond sible for the internal arrangements a«d eoanomy of the Orphanage hare' been, incompetent, inasmuch as there have been no proper feeding and no proper 'dietary arrangement, or system, or fixed hours for meals, and distinction, is and was made at such meafe, by having the table divided into two departments, containing different quantities and kinds of food. 9. That the children were improperly punished, and for trifling offences, by long periods of silence. 10. That there wae no proper superintendence of the children, particularly in. the bathroom and bedroome. • 11. -That the matron hae used bad larguago and objectionable' names to the children. 12. That the children Gerty Andre-re, Emma Andrews, May Burbrrry, Eva Bashford and Ellen Attwood have been ill-treAted by those in change at the Orphanage. ' 13. That neglect and inattention have teen manifest in the care of the boy Peicy Whittle during lie illness and antecedent thereto by those in chaige of 6uoh lad at the Orphanage. 14. That permission is asked to refer to other mattens which form part of the grounds of complaint, and are set out in the report of the prooeedinge at the Charitable Aid Office. .