PATIENTS AND PRISONERS' AID SOCIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13642, 11 July 1906, Page 3

PATIENTS AND PRISONERS' AID SOCIETY.

4. meeting of the Patients and Prisoners' Aid Society met on Tuesday, the 10th inst., lit .Mr W. Hislop's office. Mr K. Chisholm occupied tho chaw, and thero were also present—Messrs Quick, Smith, Hislop, Gow, I'M, Pali!ioo:i, ]iarr, Duncan, and Fenwick,

Dig Hon. Treasurer (Mr W. Hislop) I vtated that, as tho time had come for tho animal canvass fo, subscriptions, he had instructed M; George Brown, the collector, to proceed as usual, Mr Brown is now .ailing upon subscribers. It, was reported Urat tho Sunday sendees nrthe. several institutions in tho city and outlying districts, as well as week-day visitation tc die local establishments, had been duly attended 10, and that in connection with tho forme, tho chaplains had received valuable, assistance from a. number of friends, regular services being thereby ensured. In tho matter of weekday visitation, nntl in tho nature of tilings, tho Hospital wards called for and wcro given the chief attention, and tk chaplains iK'lievo they wcro the means of carrying light and comfort to suffering and dying persons. To many patients, in tho circumstances unable to act for themselves, help affecting personal and temporal interests wcro also in many ways! rendered, and such help, with eorrcspondc'.cc on behalf of inmates with their friends in different parta of the country, formed a considerable i item. A good many invalids and convalescents who left the Hospital were visited in their homes, a-s well as (also by request) sufferers in iheir places of abode who had nol been in tho Hospital. By these homo visits numerous instances of sevpre distress through tho illness or death of -breadwinners were brought to light, and, as usual, slops were taken to ensure relief so long as tho necessity for it continued. To appeals on behalf of such cases tho Bcnevo. lent Institution Trustees always give a willing response. Of the familv cases that have conic into tho agents' hands through the institutional connection, special mention was made of threo exceptionally sorrowful instances. » Ono was that of a. recentlymade widow, left with six young children. Being in the first stage of phthisis, her admission for a lengthy rieriod to tho Cambridge Sanatorium was accomplished, hor relatives (all working people) having generously undertaken to provide for the children meantime. Tho second case was that of five young children—two girls anil three hoys—lately left in an orphan condition by the death of their father in tho Hospital, and _ to them the North-East Valley Presbyterian Church Ladies' Association lias lioo.li very kind. One of the girls, aged 11, i.. totally blind, and measures are being tak.cn for her location for five or six years in the jubilee Institute for the Blind, at Auckland, whero sho will be maintained, educated, and trained for some kind of useful work, They (tho agents) aro also taking action to ensure for her all requisite supplies of clothing, boots, etc., during tho whole term, the cost of which will bo considerable. The other girl of that family, aged 15, who is very seriously handi. capped by defective hearing, is meantime cared for by an aunt. One of (lie three hnya, aged 13, has, tinder, tho agents' guardianship, been put in the servico of n farmer; and the other two, aged eight and nine, have been forwarded to Mr Burlinson at Levin. (In this connection the fact was noted that this blind girl is the fifth of ihc kind that has passed through the society's hands in course of tho years. Three of these--males—are now • earning their livelihood, and the fourth is still in the institute.) The third of the cases at present l>oing dealt with h that of a onelegged boy of U—one. of six children.— recently an inmate of the Hospital. The father died a. short time ago, and last week tho mother was committal to SeaclifF Asylum.- That lad has. also under the agents' guardianship, been provided for, with the assistance of the Benevolent Institution, ami the agents have been appealed lo for helpful effort on behalf of two other I.WV iiiembcrs of the same family. The material help from the society's funds since the beginning of the financial year was of the ordinary kinds—numbering, roughly, 100,—and for a good many work was found, mostly, of a temporary "lature,

but, several of these have by their earnest and steady application made their positions permanent, As far as possible, the agents keep in touch, by correspondence and otherwise, with those whose way was pared, and in 10 instances there'wens refunds of the amounts advanced to them. llr Torrance .reported that he had received from Mr Alfred E. Clarke, secretary of (lie Victorian Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society, a courteous and interesting reply, to his letter asking for information as to the constitution of that society. • Mr Clarke's reply, however, does not throw light on the question that- led to (ho inquiry.

thero was also laid, on the table. Sub- , inspector Green's reply to the letter the secretary was instructed to forward to that i gentleman, thanking liim for all the goner- : ous help he had given the agents in.connection with young offenders -brought before tho Duncdin' Court. In it Subinspector Green, who is now stationed at Timaru, says: "I was very pleased to roccivo your letter, and I thank you and your committcei for its kind appreciation of Anything I may have done to further the objects of your society. I look on your society as tho most effective in reforming; young persons (who, perhaps, have only made one mistake in their lives) by putting them in a, way of earning an honest jiving, and thus savo tliem from associating with habitual criminals, and drifting into a. life of crime. Your society assuredly saves the Government a, very considerable sum by keeping such persons out of goal (who otherwise would probably find their wav there), as well as benefiting the individual. I consider it is the duty of every policeofficer to assist in such work: and if I can,, at any time be of help to the society I [ shall bo very glad to be 60." I