INDIGENT CHILDREN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17099, 23 February 1916, Page 10

INDIGENT CHILDREN.

THEIR CARE AND; COST. POSITION IN CHRISTCHURCH. A big increase having been reported by the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board in the maintenance of indigent children in industrial schools, a.." Lyttelton Times" reporter .yesterday in tervievved -Mr'.AV. S. Wharton, secretary or the CanterGury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, in regard to the position in Christchureh. The Wellington figures for the nine, months ended December 31, 1913 were £3779, and for the corresponding period ended December 31, 1915, £1779. or an increase of £I.OOO. The recoveries for. the first-named period were £9ll, and for last year £913. . Mr Wharton said the. local figures showed a gradual decrease. For the year ended March 31. 1913. the amount was 42387, and for 1911 there was a drop to £2345, and for 1915 the sum was £2291. These were 'net amounts. He estimated.that for the year which would end on March 31 next the local h'nires would be a little less than those of 1915. •' So you see," said Mr Wharton ''our experience is the reverse of that of the Wellington Board.'' Mr Wharton remarked that the Christchureh figures included certain amounts allocated for the keep of children in special schools, such as the Deaf and Dumb Institute, the School for the Blind at Auckland and the Otekaike School, where children were trained specially and equipped to enable them to take part in life's duties as thev grew up. In these cases the board did not necessarily pay the lull cost of the children's maintenance and training, but whore parents were too poor to help Hie board provided everything for children who were the unfortunate victims of circumstances. PARENTS' RESPONSIBILITIES. Manv parents did not accept their responsibilities fully, continued Mr Wharton. When they got Hi to difficulties the first thing they did was to appeal to the police lor help. The police would refer the matter to the board and if parents did not want io send their children to the charitable institutions, the-hoard would help the na-'cnts until they had overcome their difficulties. But in many instances the children were thrown on thc.hftnds of. the board because parents were not pronared to mend their ways. The board could not see 'ihe children suffer because of the faults of their parents but the position was unfair to the authorities. Parents should be made to realise their responsibilities more. The matter of recoveries did not concern the local, board said Mr Wharton, except in regard to a few snecial cases. That matter was in ihe liands of the police and he understood that the position in regard to reeoverv of amounts tor which parents were 'responsible was satisfactory. Parents in poor circumstances were not expected to pay lor children coinmitted to the care of the board, but there was a section that was ov„,i;it* responsibilities. That section concerned illegitimate children, in which unconcern and even callousness was displayed' by the principals. ' CHILDREN'S HOMES.

[ n regard to indigent children's homes, that branch was under the care of Miss Con, who had nil efficient staff under her control. Ihe homes wore inspected regularly and the supervision of the children was excellent. ■ The reporter mentioned that i H the Wellington Charitable Aid Board's re-

port,. Mr. D. Campbell (chairman) had said that in Wellington ," there was really: no proper supervision of -.the children after they were put out. and thj,t it iv.ns getting a difficulty to find suitable homes for them, which was highly regrettable at such a time when the lives of children were so valuable. The solution of the difficulty would be the establishment of an orphanage of their own. and he hoped the time was not far distant when tliht object would be achieved.". In reply to this, Mr Wharton said the experience. • in Christchureh was quite; different. •'. He could hardly reconcile the Wellington. Board's excellent work and the remarks made. But, in Christchureh the children .were certainly not lost sight of. _ After all the care bestowed in- lifting them through their young days, and training them, thej local institutions were naturally anxious concerning, their, fiiturn welfare. The supervision here was all that could be desired. He had always considered that under Miss Cox's direction the supervision of indigent children in-.the-charitable homes of Christchureh was most complete. There was a small orphanage in Christchureh, j«.nd some children placed in the board's care were put into that home. As showing the interest taken by members of the local hoard, he had frequently heard inquiries made by them ,as to'where the children were to be seen.