CHRISTMAS CHEER

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 137, 7 December 1923, Page 8

CHRISTMAS CHEER

FOR ORPHANS AND THE NEEDY

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS DISTRIBUTE £600.

For several years past the Wellington Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association has undertaken a commendable task in raising moneys by public appeal and general campaign for the purpose of brightening the lives of hundreds of orphan and destitute children in the charitable institutions m and around the city. The happy child that knows a home is provided with pleasures and presents during the festive season by loving parents, and too commercial travellers have assumed the responsibility of fostering those unfortunate kiddies who have no parents to give them cheer at Christmastide. The Joy Night No. 3 campaign, organised uy the association last month realised over £1000, and the greater portion of this sum is being distributed by the club Charity Committee in various amounts to the different children's homes, the. division being in proportion to the number of inmates at each institution. This morning the committee, accompanied by a number of ladies and rress representatives, visited in turn a number of the homes and presented to the officers in charge substantial cheque* for the purchase of Christmas presents for the kiddies, at the same time extending wishes for a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. The presentations were made by the club president, Mr. Robert Wilson, and the other members of the committee were Messrs. T. Inglis (secretary), A. Mackenzie, J. A. Smythe, and V. W. Manton. All the members of the party were much impressed with the efficiency with which the various homes—denominational and otherwise—are conducted. They wern particularly struck with the healthy and happy appearance of the majority of the children. Most of the homes are maintained by religious bodies; spiritual guidance is therefore a foremost principle in their management, but in all cases it was evident, that next to godliness, greatest importance is attached to cleanliness, for shining floors,' welldusted rooms, clean liven, and plenty of fresh air were features of every home visited during the morning.

NEEDS OF THE HOMES.

The ceremony of presenting the public s offering towards the happiness of the kiddies at Christmas was necessarily brief in each case, on account. of the number of institutions that had to be visited. At every home Mr. Wilson commended the good work being done explained the object of the visit, and formally handed to the responsible head an envelope containing a cheque, requesting that the money be spent on Christmas cheer at the discretion of the management. The acknowledgments were accompanied in several instances by references to the difficulty in maintaining charitable institutions,: to the encouragement that the association's efforts gave, and to the fact that if greater general contributions were forthcoming towards the upkeep of homes, much better' an-d more extensive work could be done. At the children's ward at the Public Hospital it was explained that some children had never, known such a thing as a hat until the association's effort last year made their provision possible, and that several youngsters who had, never worn a pair of shoes would this year be provided for out of the allocation to the institution Distressing sights were witnessed iri the infantile, paralysis and some, of the other wards, and. again at the ward for incurable children at Mother Aubert s Home of Compassion.

The pleasure that even the smallest gift can bring to the lives of these unfortunates was illustrated when members of the committee produced from their, pockets innocent little toys in the form of jumping frogs, which brought wreaths of smiles to the faces of the recipients.

As a result o£ the distribution of a sum of £600, only a portion of the money raised by the association—the balance of the £1000 is. to be devoted towards a permanent fund for the same worthy object—it is estimated that about 1500 orphan and sick and needy children in some twenty different homes will receive presents this Chrsitmas cither in the form of toys or articles of apparel. The money is-being distributed as fallows:— Children's Hospital £75, Salvation Army (girls) £50, Salvation Army (boys) £50, Presbyterian (girls) £50, Presbyterian (boys) £50, Home of Compassion £75, Levin Memorial Home £15, Anglican Boys' Home £40, Anglican Girls, Home £40, St. Joseph's Orphanage £35, Stop Out Club (Rev. Feilden Taybr) £40, Wellington Free Kindergarten Association £20, Citizens' Day Nurseries £10, District Nursing Guild of St. John £10, Residential Nursery £10, St. Barnabas' Babies' Home £10, Y.W.C.A. treat to poor children £10, Boys' Institute £10; total £600. .

At the Home of Compassion Mother Aubert was warm in her expression of gratitude to the association for its work in providing cheer for the children. Mother Aubert takes no active part in the working of the institution at the advanced age of 89 years, but her mind is still actively engaged in its welfare. A humorous incident occurred after the old lady had been presented with the allocation to the home. As the party left the room she called Mr. Wilson back and remarked that she was pleased to notice that the ladies present were wearing longer dresses. " Oh, that is the new fashion," replied the president. "Then it is all for the best," she said. The homes visited this morning were the Salvation Army Boys' Home at Mercy street, the Home of Compassion, the- Presbyterian Orphanage for Boys, the Levin Memorial Cottage Home for Children, the Salvation. Army Home for Girls.at Owen street, and the children's ward at the Hospital.