THE COLONIST. Published Daily-(Mornings). Nelson, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1908. THE OLD PEOPLE'S HOME.

Colonist, Volume L, Issue 12158, 5 February 1908, Page 2

THE COLONIST. Published Daily-(Mornings). Nelson, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1908. THE OLD PEOPLE'S HOME.

i At its meeting this evening, tbe ' Hospital and Charitable Aid Board | will have before it the motion, of Which' Mr Beuk\i has givea notise, "That in order to provide funds for the erection of a new home for old - people, the permission of the Go- | verhment be Sought i' r (he sale of the new site in Wainiea road." Of j the necessity of the erection of a ) new Home, there can, after the pub--1 lioity given to the recent discussion on the state of the present one, be no question in the niinds either of the Board or tbe'public, and to this extent it is an encouraging sign that thus early in its career, the new Board is actively taking the matter up. After ths unfortunate termina- . tion of the efforts of the last ■ Board, 3 it seemed that the old people would 1 be left in their present comfortless quarters for an indefinite period. We hope that on thi3 occasion the Board will be more sympathetically met by the Government in remedying what is almost entitled to be a regarded as a grave public scandal. [. We cannot, however, express the . hope that Mr Beuke'a motion will 7 be adopted by the Board. Its intention is plainly not only^to provide r . a means of raising the neresaary funds for the new building, hut tc - definitely commit the Board !o re- ■ building on the site of the present Home, a blunder .which would ere lons manifest serious conse- '_ quences. The advocates of this r course admit thai; the present site 1 is not suitable for the purpose 4o s which it lias boon converted, and , for which it is yearly becoming less suited. Their objection to removal to the mote healthful and picturesque surroundings at Waimea Road are, it would appear that from that location the inmates of the homo would experience some difficulty in getting "into town, and that 1 the building which it is proposed to erect would be larger and more elaborate than the circumstances warrant. The latter objection is, of course, based upon the fact that the contemplated structure will accommodate a larger nivmber of inmates than the present one is capable of doing. It is true that the walk from the Waimea Road site to town will tend to prevent many of the idmates from taunting tfee streets, as they do at present, but that cannot be said to be altogether a bad thing. We have had many examples of the disadvantages of housing numbers of old men within the city boundaries, and it is a significant fact that all who are connected with the home in official capacities, and many with whom we are acquainted who have had experience of similar institutions elsewhere, are strong! advocates of providing accommodation removed from centres of popu- ! latiou. It cannot have a good effect, either physically or mentally, upon people of any age to reside ii a building covering practically the whole of the. ground upon which it is erected, and bounded by unattractive streets. Such is the case in regard to the Old People's Home. Were the home situated on thw Wai niea Eoad site, a very different state! of things would prevail. Prom the eminence a pleasing rrospect may be | obtained, and the area of land se- 1 cured would allow of such of the inmates whose health permitted it, being engaged in useful occupations in the open air, and theie would also be means of recreation which the confined space at tbe present home renders impossible, A paragraph published recently concerning the Tuarangi Old Men's j Home at Ashburton, about two miles ftonv the town, stated that the inmates there were profitably engaged in gardening, practically keeping the supplied, with vegetables, and that the manager hoped shortly to establish a bee farm, to provide an outlet for the surplus energies of bis charges. Surely our own old men would be better off so engaged than in wandering aimlessly about the streets. .-\s to the naturo of the building to be erected, there is no call upon the Botml to u?o> its funds extravagantly. A plain, comfortable home, adequate to the probable demands, of the next few years, and capable of being extended, if necessary, is all that is requirud. The consent of the Government, which gave the funds for the purchase of the Waimea Road site, re ; commended by the then Charitable Aid Board, will, of course, be necessary before it can be 9 .Id. An Empoworins Bill, the cost of which would be heavy, would also be necessary. The Board already has autuority to sail the site of the present home, which, being in a busy locality.should prove readily saleable. Under all the circumstances it is in the last degree unlikely that the Government would consent to any such proposal as that contained in Mr Beuke's resolution, but after the ex-,v ; perience we have had, it wuuldbe impolitic for <the Board to give*:, an excuse for fuitber delay. La the interests of tbe district, we hope the Board will approach the subject this evening with the view that it is well off in having bad an admirable site pre39nted to it, and the;- right to sell another section equa'ly valuable for other purposes, and that it will throw out the resolution.