MACARTHY HOME

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 181, 28 April 1922, Page 10

MACARTHY HOME

HOSPITAL BOARD’S WHITE ELEPHANT

WHAT TO DO ?

i>' Tho Macarthy Homo for Convales--1 cent Children has been a thorny problem for the Hospital Board over since it was purchased by the board, with money bequeathed for the purpose by l the late T. G. Macarthy. The sub- | ject of its failure to make good, along I. the lines of tho bequest was again referred to at yesterday’s meeting of I the board, when Mr. A. J. McCurdy , moved:—“That a special committee, f consisting of the chairman of the Hospital Board, tho chairman of the Host I pital Committee, and the mover, be eet up to consider a scheme for utilising the institution as (a) a Karitane ■ home, (b) a home for defective clul- ; dren, (c) a retreat for shell-shock sol- , diers, or (4) renting the same to a [' city institution for use as a “country hostel” or similar purpose, or that the Institute be popularised as a convalescent home for children. The special ' committee to also resort upon a I Bcheme for providing for convalescent children upon less expensive lines than .. tho Macarthy Home, and having in if view the locating of such children in i Country districts under ■ “home-life . conditions as distinct from “institutional discipline.” . i Mr. McCurdy said that the home ' had cost £4648. During its existence I of five years five months, 429. patients had been accommodated. The amount ji? collectable in fees was £1246, but of ! that amount only £124 had been colI lected. Not at any time during the last twelve months had there been more than ten patients in the home. 'After quoting some figures, he said ho was sorry to say the home iVas not '< servinn tho -purpose for which it was ! established. He did not want to disI cuss the matter further, but was coni' tent to move tho motion as it stood, II and would later supply members with I all the information he had collected respecting the home. . 7 Mrs. Snow said when she had visitI cd the home recently there were I twenty chldiren there, and they Were nil playing about as happy ns could I be. She commended the work of ths ■ matron (Mrs. Smith), who. was really acting as the mother of twenty children. Mr. Hbmblow said the home would be filled if i| belonged, to the Salvation Army. Mr. J> W. Suite?: Or Boys’ Institute. I The motion was carried.