SAYING "GOOD=BYE."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 773, 23 March 1910, Page 4

SAYING "GOOD=BYE."

AT OHIRO HOME. OFFICIAL VISIT AND SPEECHES. • The members of tho Benevolent Trustees paid' their final visit of inspection to the Ohiro Homo yesterday. Tho Rev. W. A. Evans stated, in the courso of a short speech, that the institution, which had looked after the dnmates of the home for the past 20 years was undergoing tho process of "dying."- Several members of tho old board liad been on tlio new Board of Management and the new board would not be worse than the old one as far as tlie inmates were ' concerned; it might perhaps be hotter; He congratulated the master and matron of the homo on the way in which they supervised the institution. While exercising a keen eye to economy they had shown a,large measure of "the milk of human kindness" towards tlie inmates. (Applause.) ' : Mr. A. W. Hogg, M.P., though* that the institution-was-second; to .none , in New Zealand. The trustees, past and present, had never.stinted-the-inmates or tried to exercise any economy that would .bo. detrimental to the 'health .or well-being of tie. inmates.j The' Home was admirably managed and., no-better managers could possibly, be "found, anywhere than. ;,-Mr. and Mrs.. Truobridgo. (Applause.) ~ ' ■ ' '..'. Miss M." Richmond, Mrs. Darvall, ■Mrs.- Atkinson,-and Mr.. John...Smitn also addressed the inmates.

Before tho trustees retired three cheers-wero given for them by the inmates and three more for the master and matron. ..-."■

At the conclusion of lunch in the staff dining-room the master of the homo proposed the health of the chairman of the board, Mr. John Smith, coupled with the names of tho Rev. W. A. Evans and Mr. D. Robertson.

Mr. Smith, in replying, gave some reasons why the board's services should bo appreciated.;. This year a most satisfactory position was' disclosed. Tho levy had been increased by £500, making £4500 instead of £4000. Of this, however, £350 to £400 was unexpended and would be carried forward, so that tho'. hoard had . satisfied tihe demands for charity' for tho city, ' and for a large portion of the province for the above sum,.whereas the.' .same work had, for a number of years, cost £7000 to £8000. This ' satisfactory position was. shown despite.-fche great increase in application for relief last winter. The year just ending had been the most exacting for at ; least eight years. The applications for outdoor relief had increased by 47 per cent. During tho ; previous year 659 persons had been' ■assisted, whilst this year 969 persons, including 132 applicants for casual re-, lief/had been dealt with. The home had been managed with economy arid efficiency, and stood at the head of. such institutions in New Zealand as shown by the Government reports.' The intermediate ward, which provided restraint for "wanderers" of feeble intellect, and for intemperate cases, and which separated" undesirables from the main home, had been a factor in economy and provided a means of dealing, to a large extent, with . casuals. Past experience ;was now being acted upon and a" slight' modification ..was being made .to enable each of. the above classes to be dealt with independently. An infirmary ward 'had also been provided with a'sitting-room for.tlio.yerj. aged and:_cqnvalesccnt. As-showing "the increase ■in. the number of people in the homV Mr:..-Smith pointed, out that whilst there' were: 72' mmatesMn 1907, to-day thoro were 120. The conditions of admission had not been relaxed, but •rather :they had ■ been ■ gradually made more and moro stringent. By improvenlarging'tho'useful functions of "the home tho able-bodied were excluded to such an extent thai difficulty was now experienced in getAing' v tho .'gardening and "necessary house-work performed. The head gardener was 7,7 years of ago and a victim, of rheumatics. : Owing to tho feeble' condition of the inmates some outside .labour had had to be employed. Mr. Smith concluded with a tribute .to tho work done by-the master . and matron of the homo. The Rev. W. A. Evans, who said he could look back on 13 years' service on the board, remarked that.when he was first elected things were'not altogether satisfactory, either with' regard to indoor or outdoor relief. Of late years,' howeveT, there had been a minimum of complaints! The speaker'paid a tribute to the excellent work done- by the lady visitor, Miss Kirk, whose, efforts were highly successful both from';the point of view of economy and of .humanity.When, tho new order. of. things first came about in the home the expenditure was sonjothiiig like £7500 per year. This expenditure.had been reduced to £4500 this year and it, had never been above £6000 under the. new regime. Further, -Bio board had built tfoo Ohiro. Homo out of revenue. Tho board had been a happy family for,'some years past and had done its best for thoso who sent them there ;, and- for thosefor, whoso benefit thoy' existed . as a board. Other toasts honoured were "Tho Honorary Medical Officers," and "Tho Retiring Trustees." . ..- .• Tho trustees expressed themselves as entirely satisfied with - the condition of the home. . • ■