DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WORK IN N.Z.

Southland Times, Issue 24524, 27 August 1941, Page 6

DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WORK IN N.Z.

NEED FOR CO-ORDINATION AND RESEARCH The need for improvements in the organization and direction of social work in New Zealand was stressed by Mr H. C. Mathew, deputy-superintend-ent of the Invercargill Borstal Institution, in a talk to members of the Invercargill Rotary Club yesterday. In particular, he suggested, research was required into such questions as the effect of Social Security legislation on the community. Mr Mathew, who was engaged for some years in social work of different kinds in' the United States, said that people did not always realize the importance and extent of social work in New Zealand. He read a long list of organizations which were engaged in this work. Social work, he explained, was not just charity, not just the giving out of money and old • clothes to people who happened to be in need. That kind of charity tended to develop in people a feeling of superiority. Nor must social work be regarded as just a means of preserving the status quo: it must have room within it for growth and change. Social work must seek to prevent accidents brought about by the shortcomings of the present social organization. At its best, social work was a highly intelligent attempt to heal the sore places of society and reorganize society in such a way that it would become a positive and constructive force for all. LACK OF CO-ORDINATION Discussing the four types of social work—case work, group, work, community organization and research—Mr Mathew said that there was a need in the Dominion for the development of social case work. Few of the organizations had developed a technique that was up to American standards. There was room for a more careful investigation of individual cases, a more rigorous “digging- down” to discover the true facts. Moreover, it seemed difficult to get the social welfare organizations in New Zealand to co-operate.

Each unit was rather jealous of its prerogatives in its own special sphere and hesitated to co-operate with similar groups. There was, for instance, practically no co-operation in child welfare work among the various religious denominations. Mr Mathew emphasized the need for more advanced research work. The question arose, for instance, where was the Social Security legislation leading the country. Where would all this pouring-out of money lead the country unless some attempt were made to investigate its psychological effect on the individual? At present the State saw that people needed help and was pouring out money without seeing what effect this would have on them. Mr Mathew suggested that the country should think more of the consequences of this social legislation and should consider whether it was not pauperizing present and future generations by doing what it was doing without full investigation. On the motion of Mr W. W. Butchers, Mr Mathew was warmly thanked for his address.