INDIGENT CHILDREN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18323, 13 August 1921, Page 6

INDIGENT CHILDREN

EFFECT OF AMENDING ACT. Legislation passed last year with reference to the distribution' of charitable aid is having its effect on the work of Hospital Boards, and it appears likely that it may result in local orphanages receiving -less subsidy from this source than they have in the past. Last June Mr J. Jacobs, the secretary of the Hospital Board, drew up a memorandum in which he pointed out to the board that section 21 if the “ Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act Amending Act, 1923, (No. 2),’’ repeals section 90 and 86 of the principal Act, and somewhat alters the board s position. These sections, which came into force on April 1. refer to the board’s liability for the cost of maintenance in industrial schools of certain indigent children. Mr Jacobs submitted a list of names of children other than those committed by the court maintained by the board at various orphanages, and continued : “ Looking _at the matter from a financial point of view only it will be to the board’s interest to decline further liability; and if the various orphanages require assistance to maintain these children then the only course would bo to have them committed through the court, the board being thus relieved of responsibility in connection therewith.” The total amount of allowances, mostly at the rate ot os weekly, being paid by the board at present for children in the Presbyterian Church of England, Roman Oathoho, and Salvation Armv Orphanages is £l2 16s a week. On July 1 the chairman of the boaid (Mr W. E. S. Knight), the medical superintendent (Dr Falconer), and the secretary (Mr Jacobs) met the -Rev.. A. E. Axelsen, the Rev. V. G. Bryan King, and Father Coffey to discuss the position with them. Reporting the result of the conference, the secretary states that the reverend ge - tlomen stated that they would rather the board withdrew its payment for tho children than th# it should insist upon a committal. However, tho Rev. Father Coffey stated that there was not the same objection in his case as the St. Vincent do Paul School was a registered home to which children could be committed. Mr Axolsen pointed out to the board s representatives that in a considerable number of cases if his association did not take the children in the board might be compelled to support them in their own homes. Formerly the Charitable Aid Board had to pay for aU the children committed under a certain section of the Act but that liability has been transferred to the Education Department, and tho Hospital Board is not liable for any children committed to industrial schools under the Act at all. The Benevolent Committee considered the matter at its last meeting and has now authorised the chairman (Mr W. 1. ialboya) “ to act in reference to payment for maintenance of children in various orphanages, other than industrial schools to which children can be committed.’ Mr Talboys explained that the matter will be left in abeyance until the House meets. In the meantime the secretary is tracing particulars of all the children now being assisted by the board in orphanages who have not been committed through thecourt, and it is possible that the grants may he continued only to those children whom the board feels it wou.d have to support in any case.