DRAWING TO AN END

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 9, 10 July 1935, Page 4

DRAWING TO AN END

CARE OF WAR VICTIMS

One part of the Ministry of Pensions' work is drawing to an end, fully and finely done (says the London "Times" in an editorial article). The Ministry was charged,with the. care of two. generations of the war"s victims— the disabled and permanently wounded and the children both, of the killed and the disabled. Time is taking ■ the children out of the Ministry's hands. In three years from now the last of them will have come to independence and the Ministry will be able to close a long account of which every item has been an instrument of good. One and three-quarter million children have cause to bless the Ministry and its staff and a devoted band o£ 25,000 voluntary workers in every town and many a country parish. There was one year when as many as 1,250,000 children were in receipt of pensions or allowances. Today the number is 26,000, and it is rapidly declining. The Ministry has had to provide for the care, the maintenance, the education, and the employment of this immense number of wards, and the cost of the service ■ has been no less than £132,000,000. Little has been heard of the work.'' It has gone on silently and smoothly, making no commotion in political waters,: and; ■ although under the direct control of Parliament, exciting no controversy. While offering general guidance and information | on all phases of child welfare the Ministry ■ has given - the minimum of definite instruction. It has relied on the Special Grants. Committee attached to headquarters and that committee has trusted , the. local committees, which have admirably discharged the duties of helpful oversight. TWO DIVISIONS. ' The work has had the two main divisions of general welfare and education. Assistance has been adapted to every variety of circumstance and there has,been available, to,meet exceptional needs not within the compass of. public ..funds, .the resources of the. King's Fund, amounting to £1,250,000/ of which the Minister of Pensions is the trustee. Most of this fund has been used for the benefit of adults, but a substantial portion has gone to assist children. ' In addition the Ministry has had the care of 27,000 orphans —at one particular time 18,000 orphans were in its charge—and. while most were satisfactorily brought up by relatives and. the department's supervision was limited to friendly interest and occasional advice in such matters as education and employment, there was a right to ensure proper upbringing which has not been ignored. Three thousand neglected children were taken into the Minister's care through the direct" action of, local' committees,' arid, including cases of physical or mental defect, the total number placed in, his care has been about 5000. Out of public funds and the King's Fund large grants have been made for'education. From the public funds nearly £2,ooo,ooo'has been drawn for secondary education, and £100,000 for university. ■or other higher, training;' and from the King's Fund £47,000 has been set apart for similar uses.