A HOME FOR THE AGED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20385, 14 October 1929, Page 14

A HOME FOR THE AGED.

Sir, —At last an imaginative, far-seeing Welshman, a scion of an ancient race, the

Rev. Evan R. Harries, has, in a sentence, given a lead to the wealthy Presbyterians of Auckland, when bo slated at the social service meeting at St. Andrew's Hall on Thursday "that a fine homo for old people was more urgently needed than anything else at the present time." The idea is worthy of the best traditions of Church. A plea may not be out of place h'ore for the Church to stop tftoso fruitless discussions on "conscientious objectors" and other equally futile subjects which prove such barren reading and bewilder the ordinary layman, and which savour, too, of unprofitable leadership, to turn their thoughts in other constructive directions, so that the Kirk may become a greater power in the land. One of the finest homes of its kind in the world for old peoplo is the infirmary at Epsom, a place which the Governor and his Lady delight to visit many times when they are in the city. A strango thing about it is that there are not v many' Presbyterians there, and yet there are perhaps more hardy old Presbyterian people.in the country than, comparatively speaking, any other class. I remember not long ago there was a discussion,out at the infirmary with regard to the attention the old people got from the chaplains of the various denominations. I asked tho question how the Presbyterians fared. "Oh, they aro ail right," replied 'the medical superintendent. "there aro not many herq." Tho explanation being that as a class they wero thrifty and prepared,as far as possible for old age, being content to live frugally, so long as they could retain their independence and freedom. Some of these old people living in their own homes in lonely conditions would love to be in a place where there were many others of their own stamp who wero able to pay a considerable amount toward their upkeep. Tho idea is one of the most illuminating wo have had for a long time and let us hope it will be tho forerunner of other fruitful schemes from the fathers of the Kirk who have great traditions behind them, not the least being the care of the aged and'infirm. Some of the aged poor are among the finest colonists this country has ever known. Our forefathers who hailed from auld Scotland taught us that Jeimy Geddea was' just a "puir auld ytiie,"-- but she-was-some person! ®^K* v Howh*i.