MANY GIRLS HELPED

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 170, 14 April 1932, Page 6

MANY GIRLS HELPED

Women’s Borstal Association

BUILDING SELF-RESPECT

One of the definite aims of the Women’s Borstal Association, the annual meeting of which is to be held this evening, is to build up self-respect and a consciousness of citizenship among the girl inmates of the Borstal Institution.

In this work the association, to judge from its fourth annual report, is making effective progress. The system of appointing associate members in all New Zealand centres is operating well and more than 20 names of such associates appear in the report. Their work has included receiving reports from girls bn .probation, assisting girls to find work, visiting homes, and interviewing parents. Unremitting and successful has been the work among probationers. The girls have lost the Idea of “oversupervision” which formerly was repugnant to them and gladly accept the help given. They are fitted out with suitable clothing when they leave the institution and, in two cases in the last year, wedding frocks have been provided. The report mentions in appreciative terms the interest taken and help given by her Excellency, Lady Bledisioe. The association has arranged for each of the girls to be supplied one frock better than their ordinary working ones. The institution’s library has been added to with standard works.

“While a great deal has been done to raise the status and standard of life for the inmates of the Borstal, it is still felt that more could be done,” observes the report. “The association looks forward to the time when the ‘honour’ system may be considerably extended and still more of the prison atmosphere’ eliminated.