Evening Post SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1897. THE HOME FOR THE AGED NEEDY.

Evening Post, Volume LIII, Issue 114, 15 May 1897, Page 4

Evening Post SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1897. THE HOME FOR THE AGED NEEDY.

Some weeks before the late official enquiry into the charges brought against the Master and Matron of the Home for the Aged Needy we expressed our opinion as follows : — " The statements made through the press by the Eev. H. Van Staveren, with regard to the conduct of the Institution, were flatly contradicted by his brother Trustees, and in terms that left no alternative to the reverend gentleman but to either resign his position, and admit himself to be in the wrong, or insist upon an independent enquiry, and publicly vindicate the position he asserted." Mr. Van Staveren refused to give way, and consequently rendered the enquiry which hae just taken place a moral necessity. A very heavy responsibility, therefore, fell upon his shoulders. The enquiry naturally led to expense and trouble, and it was incumbent upon him to completely vindicate his Actions, which, as will be found on perusal of the Commissioner's' report in another column, he has failed to do. We give him all due credit for his devotion to the cause of benevolence, but we would point out that the trustee of a public charity must remember that he is only a responsible minister, and that he owes a certain deference to his colleagues, especially if be happen to be in a minority of one. His posi.tion is very different from that of a private person who gives his own contributions as he pleases, Then, again, in any institution like the Home for the Aged Needy, there must be a certain amount of discipline; nothing, indeed, is made more clear in the report than this. It is not wise to accept as Gospel truth every bit of gossip on every idle complaint uttered by old people whose age and lack of success in life may possibly make them take a pessimistic view of their immediate surroundings. Charitable work demands a level head as well as an open heart. Reason is just as necessary as bowels of mercy in the exercise of benevolence. "We would not for a moment attempt to justify Mrs. Short's laying hands on an inmate, although of course it is very provoking to have the lie cast in one's teeth. The Trustees strongly expressed their opinion on this question, as they did also in the case of Mr. Short's conduct towards Mrs. Richardson, and it appears that their remonstrances have proved effectual in preventing further displays of temper. The Commissioner finds — and practically this is all there is of condemnation in the report — that in the case of Mrs. Ford " Mrs. Short lost her temper and seized Mrs. Ford by the shawl round the neck, forcibly compressing her throat and shaking her, and that she gave Mrs. Pord several slaps on the back with her disengaged hand." " I do not agree," says the Commissioner, " with the resolution in the minutes of the Trustees that this was an assault of a very trifling charaoter." And he goes on to say that the Trustees ought to have reprimanded Mrs. Short far more severely than they did. So with regard to the proved rudeness of the Master of the Home to Mrs. Richardson, which seems to have severely shocked Mr. Kenny's fine sense of what is due by the officials of such an institution to any Lady Bountiful who may choose to visit it: " I was, moreover, very dissatisfied with the manner in which Mr. Short gave his evidence in answer to this charge. He did not seem at all lo realise the impropriety of his conduct." Mr. Short was wrong, but he appears to have had provocation. As a witness, being a self-respecting man, he had the courage of his opinions. Mr. Kenny apparently would have been more in sympathy with the Master had he demeaned himself as v an abject flunkey, and it seems to the Commissioner that " the governing body treated Mrs. Richardson's complaint far too lightly." So much for the charges worthy of the name proved, which, be it remembered, had already been ascertained and dealt with by the Trustees. Of the twelve remaining charges, two of the most serious were the alleged threats to penalise inmates -who appealed to the Trustees, and the alleged petty religious persecution. Had Mr. Van Staveren established these he would have gque some way towards justifying himself, but as he failed to do so his accusations would seem all the more vexatious. Gagging complaints and religious tyranny are grievous sins in the Superintendent of an undenominational public charity, and no man should bring forward such accusations unless he has very strong primd facie evidence in their support. If the Trustees were deliberately kept in the dark about matters of importance, and if the religious opinions of the inmates were really outraged, then the reverend accuser did a great public service in throwing light upon such dark doings, but — and Mr. Kenny's report speaks for itself— these scandals do not exist. How, then, can the accuser extenuate, let aloue justify, the want of charity which prompted the iutroduction into the indictment of such highly prejudicial matter? For the rest, we find by the report that the "skimmed milk" iniquity has vanished into air as thin as the accuser's denunciation of it; that Mr. Kewley was not required to perform work with great pain to himself ; that the managers of the Home did not " push about and otherwise ill-usean old lady named Miss Wilson," or, to quote the words of the Commissioner, " this charge was broken down altogether by the evidence;" that Mr. and Mrs. Donohue did not leave the institution owing to harsh words and other ill-treat-ment, but, on the contrary, "Mr. Short showed considerable forbearance, in my opinion, in this case ;" that Mr. Bland was not owiixf to harsh treatment driven out of

the institution (this person is described b} r the Commissioner as " a drunken, ill-condi-tioned fellow, who was a nuisance to the Ilorae") ; that Mr. Balchin was not refused soup when he asked for it; that as to the alleged refusal of fires during cold weather, at most Mr. Short only corntnitted an error of judgment; that Mrs. Hard wick might have been treated in a more courteous way in the presence of a visitor; that Mr. Meek was not subjected to cruelty ; and lastly, as to the charge that the Master and Matron " treat the inmates as if they were inferior, instead of persons whose feelings ought to be considered," the Commissioner says "that it has been proved that there was, and is, a general want of sympathy and tact in the demeanour of Mr. and Mrs. Short towards the inmates." "As to the general management of the Home," says the Commissioner, " I have nothing but good to say. It is undoubtedly one of the best, if not the very best, institution of the kind in the colony." And there to all intents and purposes the report ends, in lame and important conclusiou. Mr. Kenny has no reoommendation to make to His Excellency, which, if for no other reason, points to the conclusion that he is not likely to satisfy public opinion upon another like occasion. As for the Rev. Mr. Van Staveren, his charges, both against the managers and his colleagues, have proved, in the main, untenable and vexatious, and he may well consider whether he should louger maintain his connection with an institution the shortcomings of which he hag so greatly exaggerated.