St. Vincent De Paul’s Orphanage

New Zealand Tablet, 27 October 1921, Page 27

St. Vincent De Paul’s Orphanage

HELP FOR THE SISTERS OF MERCY. Upwards of 100 friends of the Sisters of Mercy and sympathisers in the splendid work they are doing for the orphan children of Otago at St. Vincent's, South Dunedin, assembled at the Orphanage on last Sunday afternoon. Those present represented all parts of the city and suburbs. Very Rev. Father Coffey, Adm., presided, Rev. Father Delany also being present. Addressing the gathering, Father Coffey said the immediate requirement of the Sisters was increased accommodation fior children bereft of their parents and otherwise unsupported who were continually seeking admission to the Orphanage. Although, owing to lack of room, it hurt the Sisters and hurt them keenly, often in circumstances sad and painful to refuse admission, they had unfortunately noalternative. At the . present time the Sisters were caring for more than 140 children at St. Vincent's (for girls) and at St. Joseph's (for boys) at Waverley. Not since about 25 years ago when the present building was erected has any appeal been made for extensions. It is well understood that the Orphanage is a/ diocesan institution, and the meand for its erection were contributed by the people of the diocese as a while. Father Coffey severely criticised the parsimony of the Government in its grants to charitable institutions such as St. Vincent's. Officialdom appears to have set its face against the Orphanages and practically penalised the religious bodies which established and maintained them. Hecommented on the miserly 7s per week (Is per day) allowed orphanages for the up-keep of each child, while the State granted 15s or 17s per Week, plus two suits of clothing to each child boarded out in private (good, bad, or indifferent) homes, and repeated when a child is removed from one home to another. Besides this the department supported an, army of inspectors and other officials to see that done/which the orphanages did without remuneration and did it infinitely better.. Another point was this, perhaps the worst feature of the whole objectionable business guardians and others concerned in

cases of destitute or neglected children were ordered by the courts to pay maintenance to upwards of £1 per week for the support of such children; of this amount 7s actually went towards the upkeep of such child if placed in an orphanage, but what became of the balance? If this amount is collected in support of a child then obviously the child should get the full benefit of it. When Catholic children are placed out in private families a supposed condition is that they be placed with Catholic people so that their faith may be safeguarded. In reality, however, this , is often exactly what is not done, and he (the speaker) has had instances brought under his notice where the lot of Catholic children placed under the control of Protestants was anything but happy so far as religious matters are concerned. It is high time that the inequalities and injustices he had enumerated were removed, and public opinion aroused to a sense of duty hitherto neglected. Father Coffey, in the name of the Sisters who had accomplished wonders in the face of ever-present difficulties, sincerely thanked those who had assembled that afternoon in such numbers—the best gathering of the kind he\had yet seen in connection with church work— to help them in their great undertaking. It could be taken as an indication, at least, that all present were desirous of doing something to alleviate the difficulties under which the Sisters were laboring, and help them to ensure that every Catholic child seeking a home with them should find accommodation. In answer to Mr, J. B. Callan, Father Coffey said that approximately a sum of £7OOO was required to enable the necessary extension of the buildings being carried out. Several speakers offered suggestions regarding ways and means. “That a united effort be made to raise the amount needed” was the substance of a. motion proposed by Mrs. Douglas, seconded by Mrs. Baker and carried. Eventually a motion to the effect that a monster fair be held in support •ff the object named was adopted by a majority of those present. With this object in view a committee consisting of the following was appointed to carry out details and supervise the undertaking:Messrs. T. J. Hussey, W. Easton, A. Tarleton, D. A. O’Connell, W. Carr, J. J. Marlow, M. McAllen, and the lady stallholders, with power to add. Mr. M. J. Hade was elected secretary, and Mt. J. Dunn assistant secretary. Father Coffey suggested that local sub-committees representative of the various districts and organisations which had promised to provide and conduct stalls should be formed in each individual connection, and this was agreed to. It is understood that an art union will form part of the general scheme for raising the amount required to establish a building fund. The committee is to meet on next Monday evening at the Orphanage, by which time it is hoped to be in a position to announce the districts and organisations prepared to conduct stalls, and the names of the various stallholders.