INDIGENT CHILDREN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3170, 22 August 1917, Page 3

INDIGENT CHILDREN

WELLINGTON'S POSITION. According to official figures dealiug -with the number of indigent children which nave to be supported by the people through the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board (on whom tho claim is made by the Education Department), Jlr. H. Baldwin (chairman of tho Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board) made out a bad case for Wellington as compared with tlie other three centres, before the executive of the New Zealand Municipal Association yesterday afternoon. Tho figures quoted—the final ones published— show that the number of children to be cared for. by boarding-out in homes or institutions greatly exceeds, in proportion, those which havo to be dealt with in the same manner in other centres, and whilst the amount collected from responsible parties makes a very poor showing, the proportion recovered is. with the exception of Christclnireh, the most satisfactory. It is ; however, the number of cases hero which is so appalling. The figures aro as follow:— Amount No. of Cost, recovered, cases. X £ Auckland ... SO 7 l!lf. I2t OhrisMinrch I.TJ 2004. 117 • Diinrdin ... 220 4110 7(52 Wellington... 345 G4IG 1271 In presonting thoso figures, Jlr. Baldwin argued that tho matter of the maintenance of these children, who all would admit had to be looked after, was not one for the hospital boards, but should be tho concern of the State. Mr. Sidey: It is the concern of iho State. Mr. Baldwin: But wo havo to 7s. Gd. a week for each child in our"district to tho Education Board. Tho speaker argued that they (the hospital boards) wero simply made the means of securing this money frojn tho public, but ho did not hold that beeauso more indigent children happened to l»e in Wellington that Wellington people should bo made to pay more than people in other parts of the Dominion. Like tho treatment of a scourgo like consumption, he thought it should bo a matter for tho State, to take over and manage under possibly a more satisfactory system than that which existed at present. The executive agreed with the speaker, and endorsed tho Hutt. remit to that effect. — 1