TEETH OF ORPHANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19254, 17 February 1926, Page 10

TEETH OF ORPHANS.

free treatment -wanted.

HOMES ASK. FOR RELIEF.

HOSPITAL BOARD'S POSITION.

A request for free dental treatment of children in orphanages was made to the Auckland Hospital Board in a letter received last evening from the Presbyterian Social Service Association.

The chairman, Mr. W. Wallace, said that if the door was opened to one orphanage, it would have to be opened to them all. If that were done, the board could not possibly cope with the work.

Mr, J. Dempseyt Whom do w© treat in the dental hospital i)ow ? The Chairman» We treat children whose parents cannot pay for private outside treatment.

Mr. Dempseyj Good gracious, but the children in these homes have got no parents.

Mr. Wallace replied that many of the children in the orphanages were better off than some of the children with parents and homes. Mr, S. J. Harbutt asked who were more unable to pay than orphan home children. If the homes could not pay for the work, lb would reflect at a later date on the board.

The Chairman t I am in entire sympathy with the treatment of these children, if possible, but I can see no hope of doing It under the present conditions. Many of the orphan home children are better off than some of the children that come here now. Poor little mites—as Mr. Knight, chairman of the relief committee, knows —some. of them, arc worse than orphans. Me. E. H, Potter said there was money In some of the orphanages to pay for the treatment of the children. For those who had no money, the .board was still prepared to take every case on its merits.

The letter was referred to fho JGlnance Coirunittee,