ESTABLISHED 1875. The Manawatu Daily Times. The Oldest Manawatu Journal. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, JULY 26, 1905. CHARITABLE AID METHODS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 424, 11 July 1905, Page 2

ESTABLISHED 1875. The Manawatu Daily Times. The Oldest Manawatu Journal. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, JULY 26, 1905. CHARITABLE AID METHODS.

A matter of importance to the whole colony has been considerably agitating the Christchurch Charitable Aid Board. Comparisons of methods, and judicious investigations on its own grounds, have caused the body named to come to the conclusion thai a flaw exists in its administration. In common. with Charitable Aid Boards all over the colony, but more especially so in regard to those of the capital cities, where the populations are congested, the Christchurch institution has under its care a number of illegitimate children, and the question it is now endeavouring to solve is, what is the most economical, as well as the most desirable method, from a social point of view of having these unfortunates properly cared for and reared. The past and present method is to invoke the assistance of persons, who for the weekly allowance (generally about ten shillings) are willing to admit the children to their homes and undertake the responsibility of their up-bringing. Of these "baby farmers" there is apparently no dearth, and in some cases one home will contain two or three such children. While the home, and its surroundings, and the persons in charge are of the desirable order, the system seems to work advantageously, but unfortunately experience has shown that the reverse is very often the case.

la the first instance, the homes are usually selected, not by the Charitable Aid Board, bat by the mothers of the children. Finding themselves unable to support a home of their own, they seek out persons who will relieve them of the immediate care of their burden, and agree to pay maintenance out of the amounts they earn at service, or in the factories oc shops. After a while circumstances arise that cause them to abandon their offspring, and they vanieh and leave no trace of their whereabouts. Then it is that the custodians of the children apply to the Charitable Aid sources

for maintenance. The Boards have no option but to grant the request; but the point the Christchurch authorities are now concerned about is the position they occupy in regard to the control of the children.

The Board contends that i£ it is. responsible for the maintenance of the children, it is also morally responsible for their proper rearing, and that therefore whero the homes are not all they should be, where the parents are addicted, to drink, or the surroundings aro poverty-ridden, it has the right to remove its charges from such pernicious influences and place them in more congenial environments. In one or two eases where steps have been taken to eftect these transfer?, the paople have objected, expressing themselves willing to forego the fees rather than sever ties which bave grown up between them and the little ones. But those cases are not frequent. In Houthland a Homo exists for foundlings, where industries are taught, and also all tho rudiments of domestic training, and the Christchurch Board is discussing whether it shall adopt a similar system. According to a report the Home seems to be working .very satisfactorily, while it is also a question whether the system is not cheaper than boarding out. The proposals before the Christchurch Board (in the event of failure to institute the cottage scheme) embody a halfyearly inspection of each child by a medical man, who will report to a committee ; and the securing, at the end of each term, of a statement as to attendance and progress made at school by the children.

The moral of the whole thing of course lies in the possibility that exists under the Act for children to be brought up by irresponsible persons, at the risk of receiving infantile impressions that may set them adrift in wrong channels, and cause them ultimately to become undesirable members of society. There is also the possibility that they may be subjected to cruelty and harshness in their tender years. The Infanta Life Protection Act provides that every person undertaking the adoption of. children up to a certain age shall perforce hold certificates, and shall subject their homes to annual inspection and be themselves of good moral character; but in spite of these restrictions apparently, if the Christchurch experiences are at all general, there still remains room for reform. Inquiries instituted locally have shown that the number of children of the class named under the care of the Charitable Aid Board is only two—the result of careful and able supervision—therefore little cause exists for an alteration in the system-, here. But in the larger centres of population it is to be hoped the lead Christchurch has set will be followed, and that full investigation will be made.