DR. BARNARDO'S HOMES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 27 June 1911, Page 3

DR. BARNARDO'S HOMES.

{To the Editor.} Sir, —Ths Council of Dr. Barnardo's Homes find it necessary to ask the public to assist them in coming to a somewhat difficult ■decision. Since the death of Dr. B'arna-rdo five years a.go, _ the sympathy of the innumerable friends and admirers of his work has enabled us, net cir.t'.y |to carry on/'hits work, but even to extend' it 'in accordance with his known desire. We have hitherto followed with the utmost strictness his unalterable .rule, that no destitute child shall be refused' admission : no votes, no influence, no credentials have ever been required for admission to Dr. Barnardo's Homes. A child's destitution,, for which it can in n,o ease be it-'O.f responsible, has always been, the only test. Now we are faced with this difficulty. Up to the mid die, of last year the income of the Homes was increasing, as it has always increased, in almost exact proportion to the increase in the number of destitute .children who had to be Drovid'&d for. Then there was a sudden fall and. at the end- of the year there was'a deficiency of oyer £38,000. It is not necessary to go unto the reasons for this being so—they are beyond ouir control. and' they have aiFected other charities in the country, in many cases to an even greater degree. . . The same thing is com', i.numg the present year. Our 'income would bo considered enormous ; but it is insufficient to siipport the 9400 children who are now in the Homes. Wo have practically no endowments, and for oarmanent relief we must either reduce our expenses or increase our income. Are we to do the former? We 'have endeavoured to maintain Dr. Barnardo s tradition of strict economy in everything except the proper plain food, elothino- education, and personal training of the' ch.ild.ren themselves. There are no high salaries to be cut down, no excessive staff to be reduced —we can economise in children only. This is the question wliich we have tu decide a.t on,oe. Becau.se we have no endowments, and because the (HJom.cs d'i'.pendi entire.lv on the country's daily appreciation, of Dr. Barnardo's work, the matter iis urgent; but in six months we could bring our expenditure within our present income, by abandoning" the rule whiich Dr. Barnardo" followed for all his life, and which, he has left for his successors to follow and maintain. Is it wortli 'it ? Looked at merelv as a matter of poundis, shillings, and pence, the thousands of destitute ch.il dren who would be refused admission would, if admitted, be worth ■ to th< country in the future waiiv thousandof poundis as honest, hard-working oiti7.ens. If left 'destitute, who can sa\ how much they will cost? Destitute men andi women haye seldom much future before them—thev have often. a very extensive past. Destitute chiMren have no past—of their own making—and their future is almost a certainty _ of an honourable ,indepandent life, if they are given the opportunity, which they can soldoi\i> make for themselves, and which the workhouse docs not provide. It is a good iinrvestmeinit to give it to them, and' by every canon ol .human conduct it is .al'so an absolute duty. , . , We ask the public to decide for us. and to decide quickly. If they are in any doublt. will they come and see foi themselves? I am:, etc.. SOMERSET, President. Head' Offices of the Homes, 18 to 26, Stepney Causeway, London, E. May, 1911. \