HOUSING SCHEME FOR AGED NOT APPROVED

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29271, 1 August 1960, Page 9

HOUSING SCHEME FOR AGED NOT APPROVED

Department of Health nonapproval of the Christchurch Aged People’s Welfare Council's projected Lyttelton street scheme, which will provide ’ accommodation tor 30 frail ambulants and which will provide 20 hospital beds, continues to delay the start of the project, says the chairman of the council (Dr. H. R. Donald) in his annual report “The department’s first objection is that the sponsoring of accommodation is not an accepted function of welfare councils. This point was recently submitted for the opinion of the central advisory committee which ruled in the council's favour.” the report says. The committee ruled that where constituent organisations were not providing accommodation for the aged then it was the function of

welfare councils to do so. This provision was covered In the Health Department’s list of the accepted functions of welfare councils, which say that “<a.jirelfard* council should ffisift- its member organisations to,Co-op erate in providing services Tor the. old people tn the community,” says Dr. Donald. Insufficient Finanoa "The Health Department’s second objection is that the' financial background of the Welfare Council does not guarantee that the running costs of such homes will not devolve upon the State, This objection is accepted and cap only be overcome by seeking from the public an income that is adequate for our responsibility. “In opposition to the views of the Health Department, I am satisfied that this bottleneck of accommodation can only be satis-

factorily solved by the united efforts of the community as a whole,” says Dr. Donald In his report. - Dr. Donald says that more than 400 aged people are waiting to seek accommodation in pensioners' cottages and homes in Christchurch. “The Christchurch City Council is already well advanced in its part of the Lyttelton street project—the construction of 16 units of- pensioners’ cottages on that part of the section which adjoins the road. “This year the Government is offering a 100 per cent, building subsidy on all approved accommodation of this type. * “In the meantime we shall continue to press for the recognition of our Lyttelton street project,” Dr. Donald says. Dr. Donald says that the WeL

fare Council depends on an annual grant of £2OO from the City Council, a grant of £735 from the Government to defray the salaries of the four occupational instructors, an “unpredictable” ■ grant, at irregular intervals from the Department of Internal Affairs, and over the last two years' an ■ income from the annual street appeal “Against this,’ he says, “our central office alone costs close on £l5OO a year and the cost of occupational services exceeds £2OOO. If we are to do our job properly we must have an annual income in keeping with our responsibilities. “Whether or not we can proceed with dur Lyttelton street project, or extend our group employment, or assist in the provision of better club facilities will depend bn one thing—the support of

the citizens of Christchurch,” Dr. Donald says. Associate membership at an annual subscription of 10s a head will be encouraged, and an appeal will be made for donations and deeds of gift with which to swell the building fund, Dr Donald says