JAMES POWELL HOME

Evening Star, Issue 21285, 14 December 1932, Page 7

JAMES POWELL HOME

VISIT BY GOVERNOR-GENERAL THEIR EXCELLENCIES IMPRESSED Their Excellencies the GovernorGeneral and Lady Bledisloe yesterday afternoon paid a visit to the Janies Powell, Rest Homo at Warrington, J being received on arrival by His Honour Mr Justice Kennedy, the president of the Patients and Prisoners’ Aid Society, and members of the committee. The children of the district were drawn up in the garden and sang two verses of the National Anthem as their Excellencies approached. His Excellency complimented the children bn their evident loyalty, and urged them to continue toi fear God and honour the King. After their Excellencies had inspected the home, Mr Justice Kennedysaid he desired, on behalf of the society, to extend to their Excellencies a warm welcome and to say that all those- associated with the James Powell Rest Home_ would bo greatly encouraged by their Excellencies’ sympathetic interest. His Excellency said that both he and Lady Bledisloe were very pleased to bo at the Home that afternoon and, after a somewhat strenuous round of official duties, he was inclined to think that their experience that afternoon would afford them some measure of beneficial recuperation. Some three years ago his respected predecessor visited the hor.v to open a fete. He was not accompanied by Lady Alice Fergnsson owing to her having some recurring affection of the knee. Some of those present would have heard that about a week ago it was renorted through the Press that Lady Alice Fergnsson had had a very serious motor accident and. that For a time, there was reason to herevo that her life was despaired of. Just before starting tlmt afternoon he received a reassuring telegram from Scotland to tho effect t'-nt Lady Alice Fergnsson was now maknm slow but satisfactory progress. (Applause.) A VALUABLE WORK. Lord Bledisloe said he was® inclined, first of all, as he looked upon those who were patients in the institution to quote a Latin motto, which, translated, meant, “ If von want to judge ot the value, of a ’work look at those who are benefiting from it,” or The proof of the pudding is m the eating, and

His Excellency was perfectly certain that those ladies would bo the first o testify, not only by their appearance, but also by their words of gratcnl thanks, to the benefits which they were quite obviously receiving as the result of tbo committee’s enterprise md beneficence in supplying and sup--norting that excellent convalescent institution, He understood that that was only one part of the varied and valuable work which was being carried on, and had been carried on for some+birig' like fifty-five years by the. Patients and Prisoners’ Aid Society. Dunedin appeared to possess, and; .tohave ‘ possessed from the very star(j,.,a. chmmnnity of • pioneers, particularly pioneers in the field of philanthropic effort and, what be might call, Samaritan enterprise. The Plnnket Society, which was doing such immeasurable good for the young people and tbo mothers of the dominion, was originated in that locality. There’Also was that institution which they visited on the previous day, the Children’s Best Home, which, bo believed, was unique so far as New Zealand was concerned, and then they came to that institution, another pioneer effort,' also, be believed. unique in the dominion, and it was doing splendid work tor the benefit of women broken down in health or who, having passed through an operation. wore not fit at _ once to return to their normal activities. The society was also doing a very useful work, of which he would like to express his great admiration, for the benefit of those who bad, unfortunately, committed lapses from moral integrity and who had been confined in prison, resulting in a feeling of despair on the part of those who bad been, incarcerated. and in a position of helplessness regarding their future, and what was worst of all in any British-speaking community, a lack of that self-confi-dence and self-respect which went so far both in the formation of character and success in the various walks of life; That was a fine work which was beneficial not only to those who benefited by it but to tbo whole community iri which they lived. It blessed those -who gave and those who took. The location of the convalescent home appeared to be ideal, and the rest and comfort avai'able lor those who wore inmates for tbo time being could, quite obviously, hardly be excelled. His Excellency paid a tribute to the far-sighted people, including Mr James Powell and Sir George Fenwick, who did so much to put that charity upon a sound foundation. They were particularly enlightened and far-sighted in realising that there was a real national social benefit in preventing those who had passed through hospitals, particularly after an operation, from attempt-

ing to return to ordinary, every-day life before they were fit to do so. It might sometimes bo asked by some of thbsc who were asked to contribute towards the maintenance of such an institution: “What is the advantage to me or to the general public in supporting an institution like this? ’’ Surely, said His Excellency, if anything could be - done to fortify those who had to fight the battle' of life, particularly in difficult times, it was a good national investment. NO GOVERNMENT AID. .-His,Excellency.desired to congratulate, thpse associated with that institution in being able to .-carry on without goinf? to the Government for any money. It was very remarkable and how they had done it, be did hot know. He believed that Sir George Fenwick, a few years before his death, prophesied that it was inevitable that Government aid would have to bo sought. It was a prophesy that bad been falsified in the past, and lie ventured to hone that it would never come true. His Excellency asked permission as a stranger, although their Governor-General, to sav ..that ho saw no ultimate hope for this sunny country of warm-hearted people unless they could manage to learn, as the old pioneers did, to depend more upon their own efforts and their own 'resources, rather than to look for every possible purpose to the State, which, after all. was only the community in another form. He had been asked to appeal to the ■people who were in a position to do so, to remember the institution in their wills. On behalf of L.-dy Bledisloe and himself, bo wished all success to tbo institution, and a. rapid recovery to those who were inmates, and every prosperity' to the society which was doing such untold rood in Dunedin and the surrounding district. VISITORS DESIRED. Mr I). Phillips, in thanking their Excellencies for visiting the homo, expressed the Ivopo that their example would be followed bv others. While people were interested in the home, the committee' felt that they did not go out snfficiontlv often to visit it and sec the work that was being done.. The committee appreciated the interest then - Excellencies bad taken in the "•nrk. and be mentioned that so far ’’'■s year they bad bad no. fewer than 231 convalescent patients in the iKiine, and they could not take .more than about eleven at a time. The home had its own cows, pigs, and fowls, and grew its own vegetables, and it was thus able to provide all those things which were so necessary for convalescent patients. The visitors were entertained at afternoon tea. and the return journey to town was then commenced.