ORPHAN HOME CHANGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22119, 27 May 1935, Page 11

ORPHAN HOME CHANGES

BENEFIT TO CHILDREN "NO LONGER INSTITUTIONS" COMMENTS BY ARCHBISHOP "These orphan homes are very different from what they used to be in our younger days," said Archbishop Averill at the annual meeting on Saturday of the Anglican Orphan Home, Papatoetoe, of which he is patron. "They are no longer institutions; they are real homes." His Grace expressed thankfulness for the joy and happiness the matron, Miss A. Hooker, had been able to bring into the lives of the children entrusted to her care. The last thing that was wanted by the board of management was to give the children a hall-mark which made them different from other children. Three facts which had been of considerable benefit were the policy of not making them wear uniforms, of sending them to outside schools and of giving them as much contact as possible with the outside world. That meant that the children were not strange when they left the home. The Archbishop stressed the need of care of tho children when the.y left the home. It was helpful for them to knpw that the home retained its interest in them. More Children at Home A rise to over 80 in the number of children at the home was mentioned by the chairman of the board, Dr. E. Roberton, in the annual report. The number at March 31 was 83, comprising 43 boys and 40 girls. During the year 24 children were admitted and 15 were discharged. The pupils from the home attending the Papatoetoe school had fully maintained their good standard of conduct and work. In their school work the.y reached a good average efficiency and all took a prominent part in outside activities. "The accounts presented show a marked falling off in subscriptions and a loss on the farm account, the latter due partly to increased rates from rating on unimproved values," added the chairman. "Receipts from maintenance fees and from endowments are more, but we find that our deficit has increased by nearly £250. It is evident that subscriptions must be in- j creased, and this will receive the careful attention of the board." Tributes to Former Chairman Dr. Roberton expressed regret at the resignation from the board, owing to ill-health, of Mr. Ernest Yates, who, as chairman of the board and a member of committees, rendered notable service to the home for many years. A tribute to Mr. Yates' services was paid also by Archbishop Averill. The following members of the board were re-elected unopposed:—Dr. E. Roberton, Mr. E. D. Wilkinson, Mr. W. Cutforth, Mr. J. J. Laws, Mr. C. J. Tunks. Mr. Eric Yates, a son of Mr. Ernest Yates, was elected unopposed as a member of the board.

After the meeting various items were presented by the children, and later opportunity was taken by those present to inspect the home and the delightful surroundings. Tidiness was apparent everywhere, in the airy dormitories, in the clothes lockers and in the play rooms. Full advantage was being taken by the children of the spacious fields surrounding the home. In one place a game of Rugby football was in progress, and there were other smaller groups of children playing.