HOW OLD FOLK ARE FED

Evening Star, Issue 18053, 22 August 1922, Page 7

HOW OLD FOLK ARE FED

AT OTAGO BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. IS THE DIET FAIR? “Inmates of the Benevolent Institution at Gaversham are complaining wrath fully about their food, about a meagreness in firing, and about the indifferent attention to tho sick.” Representations to that effect having been made to the ‘Evening Star,’ a reporter was told off to get hold of tho facts. Starting from the circumference, he questioned responsible persons who live in the immediate neighborhood. From them he ascertained that male inmates frequently do a bit oil shopping, not for socks or ties or handkerchiefs, but for something to cat. One butcher was quite sure that these' Benevolent customers l of his averaged over twenty per week, their demands being chiefly for saveloys, Belgian- roll, and sausages. “ I’ve -never been in -the home,” ho added, “but when men come to buy eatables I conclude- that they want to eat them.” Another tradesman said that the old men were amongst his regular customers, their purchases being of food- khickrtacks of tho cheaper order. He also said ho had just -served a blind mail who .was piloted by a cripple, -and that when they entered his shop they, were, carrying eightparcels of enko and other tasty -goods got at a baker’s. A regular visitor was next interrogated, and be told tho story of a bedridden inmate, pining for some choice morsel to vary the diet, being approached by an ’attendant who was carrying round thick slices of bread and asked “ Do you want more than one to-day?” Somewhat impressive was the,- reply from another visitor: “I cannot tell you of my -own knowledge that the food is scanty or poor, but tho people with whom I have talked say -that -the food is monotonous and unappetising, and- tho general tone cheerless, and I am inclined to think it true that the tiros in tho winter time are not lit till 4 in tho afternoon, and are. not stoked up enough to keep the rooms comfortably warm.” From another quarter -the reporter was told positively that the old folk got no butter and no sugar, and that no vegetables were served excepting in a stew that they were thoroughly ot. A SURPRISE VISIT. Proceeding next -to tho Benevolent Institution, without the slightest hint that he was paying a visit, the -reporter was lucky enough to find Mr W. T. Ta-lboys (chairman of the Benevolent Institution Committee), in company with Mr George Porteous (master). And Mr Waller Downs (controller of stores to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board) happened .to be present. Ho better opportunity of putting questions could have been wished for, and .when Mrs Porteous, the matron, also appeared on tho scene the array of witnesses for tho defence, as one might term them, was complete. Having been assured that -he was quite welcome, that no one at tho institution' thought it queer.to he taken by surprise, and that any questions put would be promptly answered, since there, was nothing to hide, tho reporter stated one by one the charges of which ho had taken note, and answers were made in effect as follows:

Sugar is not put separately on the table, but it is used for sweetening the milk foods and putting in tho tea. Mr Downs added that he would consult his books when he returned to the office and stale the exact quantity supplied. This promise was promptly kept, Mr Downs reporting that for the last three months — May, June, and July—the average amount supplied was 7001 b per month. _ Butter is a subject concerning which there seemed to bo a common grievance, and as to this important article of diet the evidence obtained amounted to this—that it is used only for spreading on bread; that it is warmed before the spreading, and therefore goes into the bread instead of skipping the interstices ; and that the supply for April, May, June, and July was eight boxes (4cwt) per month. Mr Downs remarked thatj. in one of those months nine boxes were delivered, but he reckoned the regular monthly supply as eight boxes. Asked as to how many persons these quantities of sugar and butter had to serve, Mr Downs said that the present number of inmates was 150. Sometimes it ran to 155, and had gone up to 160. In addition there were six or seven nurses, two maids, and a cook, also the master and the matron. One of the attendants was asked to produce the bread and butter left over from the last meal, and the reporter inspected it. It was good,, sound bread, one day old, cut terribly thick—‘'doorstep” thickness, say nearly (three-quarters of an inch—and'with the butter scraped on thinly, but well penetrating the bread. Good food 1 for tho hungry,_ but not attractive to the aged or debilitated. One could fancy them sighing for the wafer bread-and-butter of a lady’s afternoon tea. THE DAILY MENU.

Mrs Porteous was asked if slio would give the bill of faro for the dinners day by day during a week, and she readily replied'’, thus Sunday : Cold roast mutton , .jpi’essed meat, potatoes, beetroot, pickle, tea, bread. Monday: Houp, stew, bread, potatoes. Tuesday: -Mince, soup, potatoes, bread. Wednesday: Cold mutton, soup, potatoes, .bread. Thursday ; Gold mutton, soup, potatoes, broad. Friday : Stew, potatoes, parnsips, tea, broad, isaturday: Soup, curry, potatoes, bread. Air Porteous added that mine© was served every day for those who wanted it. He also remarked that the bread was always that of the day before. It; occurred to- tho interviewer that the faro was distinctly lacking in vegetables, and he asked many questions on that subject. Answer being made that there were plenty of vegetables in the stew, he inquired whether vegetables were never served separately, and the numerous answers elicited may be summarised in the otlicial statement that cabbages and such like vegetables aro scarce in winter, but are supplied in season. Incidentally the reporter here wishes to observe that the testimony on this subject was neither precise nor convincing. There was no statement as to the destiny of the vast quantities of cabbages that Mr Hollingworth grows; never a mention of peas or beans; and a conspicuous reticence was observed in regard to anything like a scheme of supply—that is to say. it was not suggested that, the old folk got cabbage on Sunday, peas on Monday, spinach on Tuesor so forth. A point was made by the officials of the fact that there is no restriction as to the quantity of food eaten. _ Mr Downs says his instructions are “ Give them us much as they want, but no waste.” warmth. Passing from food to fire, the reporter asked how the heating was managed-, and Air Porteous replied-: ‘‘The fire in the reading room, in a big open grate, is put on first thing in the moniing and kept on tiFl the inmates go to bed. This is done in summer and winter. It must be very warn weather before it is taken off. In tho wards the fires aro lit at 3 p.m. throughoutAhe winter, and in each there is a of coal and a bucket of coke to keep going. We took these off only two days ago.” In regard to this, our reporter comments tlrat ho went into the assembly room and saw a fair fir© there, the temperature comfortable. The answers as to firing genernlly seemed reasonably satisfactory, except'in regard to shutting off the fires in the wards two days earlier. In private houses fires are kept going till much later than August. An idea of interviewing the inmates individually did not lead very far. One elderly man-, known personally to the reporter, whispered from bis bed “ I’m as comfortable as can bo expected, but it isn’t home.”

In the general room the reporter was introduced to an inmate who was described ■ M - aru educated, ,11m -.He.ijupved to be

peculiarly straightforward, at any rate. Scowling at the questioner, ho said: “I have no opinion about this institution or anything about it. I had an opinion eighteen months ago, and got my throat cut. I don’t care a continental damn,”

These beginnings were not hopeful. Nor was there any hope in the scene generally. How could one expect to get evidence from men who were smileless and seemed to be dispirited as'the result of ago and infirmities and the blankness of their outlook? “IT ISN’T HOME.” THE TRAGEDY OF AGE. The impression that remains is that of an institution in which things generally are managed as well as they can be. The bread might be thinner, the vegetables more abundant, the food more varied. But the quality of the fond is undoubtedly good, the cooking ail right, and the.place is scrupulously clean. The limiting influence is that it is institutional. Moreover, the question arises whether old people can ever bo happy or contented when they arc perpetually "associated in numbers. They are poor company for themselves. Mr Tab boys is a nenigni controller—ho takes gleams of sunshine into the place with him, and the public, lias the assurance that the inmates will never bo harshly treated whilst lie is at the helm. Mr and Mrs Porteons are also just—that is our reporter’s impression, but they are slaves to duty and' do it conscientiously, and they qoiirt publicity. 1 . The summing up may very well be iti the words of tho Preacher: “If a- manlive many years, and rejoice in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comethjs vanity.” In other words, old ago is a.*Time of darkness if one is poor, and no institutional aid can make such a timo bright.