INDIGENT CHILDREN

Otago Witness, Issue 3518, 16 August 1921, Page 44

INDIGENT CHILDREN

QUESTION OF THEIR SUPPORT. Legislation passed last year with reference to the distribution of charitable aid is I having its effect: on the work of Hospital | Boards, and it appears likely that it may j result in local orphanages receiving less I subsidy front this source titan they have j in the past;. Last Julie Mr J. Jacobs, j the secretary of the Hospital Board, drew j up a memorandum in which he pointed out j to the board that section 21 if the “ llos- j pitals and Charitable Institutions Act Amending Act, 1920 (No. 2),” repeals see- j tion 80 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 bv 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 tho court, the board being thus relieved of responsibility in connection therewith.” The total amount of allowances, mostly at the rate of 8s weekly, being paid by the board at present for children in the Presbyterian, Church of England, Roman Catholic, and Salvation Army Orphanages is £l2 16s a week. On July 1 the chairman of the board I (Mr W. E. S. Kn glu). the medical super- j intendent, (Dr Falconer), and the secretary (Mr Jacobs) met the Rev. A. E. Axeisen. the Rev. Y. G. Bryan King, and Father Coffey to discuss the position with them. Reporting the result of the conference, the* secretary states that the reverend gentlemen stated that they would rather the board withdrew its payment for the chiulren than that it should insist upon a committal. However, the Rev. Father Coffey stated that there was not the same objection in Ins case as the St . \ incent do Paul School was a registered home to which children could be committed. Mr Axeisen pointed out to the board s representatives that in a considerable number of cases if Ms association did not take the children in the board might be compelled to support them in their own homes. Formerly the Charitable Aid Board bad to pay for all the children committed under a certain section of the Act, but that liability lias been transferred to the Education Department, and the Hospital Board is not liable for any children committed to industrial schools under the Act at all. Th e Benevolent Committee considered the matter at its last meeting, and has now authorised the chairman (Mr W. T. lalbovs) “to act in reference to payment for maintenance of children in various orphanages, other than industrial schools I o which children can be committed.” Mr M’alboys 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 tho board in orphanages who have not been comm-tted through the court, and it is possible that the grants may bo continued only to those children whom the board feels it would have to support iu any ease.