AT OHIRO HOME.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 589, 18 August 1909, Page 2

AT OHIRO HOME.

POCKET-MONEY FOR THE INMATES. The old people at the Oliiro Homo -will bo relieved to hear that after fully discussing the question as to whether their pocket .allowances should bo. stopped, the of Trustees, at its meeting yesterday afternoon, decided upon a less drastic economy, and resolved: ...'■'■ .':■.■ "That a.sum not exceeding Is. Gd. per week be granted to each ininato of tho home for good conduct and industry, the allotment of tho samo to, be at the d«- iv cretion of the master of tho home.. ... ' , That is to say,, the measure of; tho allowance may vary in each individual" case, according to the assessment as to good conduct ana industry determined ! upori- : r by'-'' the' ; master; Hitherto, the position lias-been .that,'; m acv oordanco . with a hint from the Government that tho Wellington Benevolent Institutionivaß; the only one of its kind that.did not grant, pocket allowances to tho .old-age pensioners' ■resident at the Ohiro.Homo, on allowance wa 9 granted to these by resolution (in 1906), and, that thoso inmates , of the.home who were uot ; , bid-ago pensioners might, hi equity, enjoy a similar gratuity, the grant was extended in. their favour also. Pursuant upon unfavourable reports covering the conduct of some of the inmates, the trustees gave serious 'attention to the question of .stopping the: allowances altogether, but decided in tho direction above stated. • ■■ ■ • ■ : , , • ' In reporting upon the general aspects ot the. question at the meeting-yesterday, the master, of tho honie (Mr. A. 11. Truebrnlgc) said that the'net cost to ,the institution* of tlui care, or. , the inmates was 9s. 3d.'per head, per week,;, or 3d. less than the maximum' amount received from the old-age pensioners, lint ne the homo was a non-earniii.a; concern, tw interest on the capital cost should be 'uilded-.to the estimated cost of the maintenonco ottno inmates, .which practically meant'ir total'expenditure per capita of 11s. 10d. lhercfore, although ■ the old ago pensioners resident. ; in the homo gnve up their annuities; in payment, for their keop, etc., the board owed them nothing in .return, as was hinted by the Government in 1906. He thought that it wolild be a pitv to withdraw the allowances, altogether. If .these were'paid on, a basis of'reward for 'good.conduct and: industry, .the inmates would, have.; something', definite to■ live for, so to speak. Heßnrdinjj the allegatioiis-of intoxication ou, the part of inmates, he pointed out that there'vero at tho most seven or, eight out of'over a hundred who were known to have occasionally lapsed, u percentage which testified very favounibly, he conlonded, to tho management of the home. Iriuny have been truo Hint cortnin old men had been seen, going along the Oliiro lioadin-a state of intoxication, as had been alleged, but, lie pointed out, a good many old nifu went along'that road ivlio were not inmates of the home, ilio system of pocket allowances advocated would raenn u saving of between £7 and £5.,,,.,-.. Mr Kobertson; Hear, hear. I approve of that Tho expenditure at tho home in tins connection .is at present £20 a month-a very serious item. . i '..'.■.. •, , •, • The C!-:iiiman "Mr '.Tohii Rm h) remarked that ho was.very glad the whole'matter had peen reviewed, and that the stigma on , tho inmates had, to nu extent, been removed. Ho lipproved of the suggested scheme. Tho board then resolved as already stated.