HATER KIT V HOUSES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 13

HATER KIT V HOUSES.

A QUESTION OF POLICY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, January 7. A discussion involving a- point of considerable interest cropped up at a meeting of thf local Benevolent Institution trustees this afternoon. It appears that there has been a large increase of late in the number of indigent people and chronic invalids in the local home for old men and women. During the course of the discussion it was mentioned that maternity cases in which the question of illegitimacy was involved were sometimes dealt with in the home.- A trustee asked if there was no way of getting rid of the6e charges on the institution. The Chairman : We Kave a resolution on the books at the present time that ro rrore of these caises will be taken, but the fact is simply this: the Salvation Army will i-ot ■lake "second" and "third" cases. Mr D. Robertson : I am quite sure that St. "Helena Hospital is the proper place for chese cases. To make a maternity homo of an old-men's institution is simply ridiculous. The Government says, " Keep your cradles full." At St. Helens there is -proper equipment — doctors and nurses, — and still these cases are forced on us. Mr Pearce : Could we nol ma-ke fuTther ; (^presentation on the matter The Chairman : Would it be vie* 1 after the repeated declarations we have had from the Government on the matter? Mr Robertson: But changes have come eboutfc since then. There is a new inspector now. Dr Valintine may be prepared to do something. If tlfe Government <]oes mfc want these women to be associated with others at St. Helens, then let the Government build a separate wins?. After 'some further discussion the Doa^d agreed to wait on Dr Valintine in a l»dy to discuss the whole question with him. The result of this interview should be interesting. It is well known that Airs Grace Neill, who was the originator of the St. Helens Hospitals idea, was strongly opposed to allowing women of doubtful character a place in such houses, and in this she was strongly supported by the lateMr Seddon. Mr. Hill, of Sydney, stated at Brisbane that, while there" were only seven licensed houses in the Northern Territory, there were - scores of shanties where liquor was sold.