BENEVOLENT TRUSTEES

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 101, 22 January 1908, Page 4

BENEVOLENT TRUSTEES

CARE OF THE OLD AND INFIRM. ' QUESTION OF INCREASING ACCOMMODATION. Tho ..weekly meeting of the Benevolent Trustees was held yesterday afternoon, there being presentllev. W.' A. Evans (Chairman), Mrs. Darvall, Messrs. A. C. I'earco, J. Smith, D. Robertson, and A. W. ilogg, M.P. The Master of the. Homo reported that there were 06 male, and 31 femalo inmates in tho Ohiro Home, a total of 97, as against 90 the previous week. Miss Charlotto Sinclair, of Nelson, was appointed assistant in the women's ward at tho Home. Mr. Geo. London) a recent member of tho Board of Trustees, appeared in support of an application for the admission to tho Home of an old and infirm woman who was at present'living at Lower Hntt, alone and helploss. ,••'•'■ Mr: Hogg,'M.P., was of opinion'that the enso of tho old and infirm was a very serious problem, and. difficult' of solution. Ho was afraid that a great many people had a tendency to shift their burden of responsibility, with, regard to their aged connections, on- to tho shoulders of other people. Ho quoted instances of a numbor of people at tho Porjriia'Mental'.Hospital who were not mentally afflicted, being merely in a senile condition. Ho had even known of two eases in the, Wellington Mental Hospital when men who were mentally sound bail been permitted to lie on their backs and die. Tho Rev. W. A. Evans thought that, tho regulations governing admission to tho Home would not permit of Mr. London's request being granted. If they admitted this ease, they, would ho faced with a number of other?, and their accommodation would be quite inadequate.' Mr. Pearee said that they ought to draw tho lino, somewhere. The Trustees had a certain policy of administration which they ought, to stick to. . Mr. J. Smith .considered that the case opened up tho question of extending tho scope of, .their charitable administration, and this implied an increase in' tlio accommodation. Sp far as ho could seo there was no probability of that, cither now or in the -future) '.'Ho regretted ;that they would be ,unablc : to accede to Mr. London's request; The question of increasing the accommodation .bevond ;the limits provided for in the' ipreseut .scheme of alterations arid additions cropped up soon after, following a suggestion from the Secretary (Mr. A.H. Truebridge) that the, Board should consider tho matter. Mr. Hogg, M.P., said he would not approve of any such suggestion'. It was tho old "story, he' said. "As . soon as thero was u (credit- .balance at tho bank, tho cry was raised—more additions. It' looked as if they were entering into competition with tho Salvation Army Homo. Mr. Robertson could see no objection .to visiting tho-Home and pointing out to tho new members of the Board the present- state of affairs; but he would not hear of further additions. ''I'm going. to sit down on the Secretary if J).o is going to go on at this rate," he threatened. (Smiles.) Mr. -Pearee could see no harm in receiving, and even considering, such suggestions from the Secretary. That did not necessarily commit the Board to anything. Mr. Hogg: " Well, if we have any discussion -let it-be open, not in committee." '.The'Clinirman: "Certainly." ' It was-decided that- tho Secretary should have aii opportunity of placing his proposals before the Trustees during the official quarterly 'visit : of the Trustees to the Ohiro Home, which is to take place : on February '4 at 12 noon,' instead of February 26, the rSfeular date.' ... ' ' ■. - Mr.' Robertson:' "'lt'll give, our friend upcountry something to .talk about."—This m ■'reference- to' Mr. R-. Smith's recent remarks concerning tho bodily physiquo of some of tho inmates. .