CHILDREN’S HOME PROPERTY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28894, 14 May 1959, Page 13

CHILDREN’S HOME PROPERTY

Disposal Of Part Approved

Approval for the disposal of four acres of property of the Presbyterian Children’s Home in Blighs road was given at the monthly meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery last evening. There had been a change in policy all over the world regarding children’s work and it now appeared that the property was far too large,* said the Rev. S. C. Francis, convenor of a committee set up to investigate the Presbyterian Social Services Council’s proposal to dispose of part of the property. The new policy was to do everything possible to keep children in their own homes in cases where they could not be kept in their homes, to send them to carefully-selected foster homes or hostel cottages, said Mr Francis. There were still a few children left in the Blighs road home and the home would continue to be used for these children and as a receiving home, said Mr Francis. “There will be a need for a home of this nature but there will be no need for the large amount of property with it,” Mr Francis said. The proceeds from the disposal of the land could be used to purchase other land elsewhere for church work. It was decided that the committee should continue to confer with the Presbyterian Social Services Council on the disposal of the land.