ZONE COMMITTEE MEETS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Issue 2, 8 July 1940, Page 5

ZONE COMMITTEE MEETS

THE BAY OF PLENTY AREAj DELUGE OF APPLICATION'S "Though we understand that the first quota of British chils dren to New Zealand will be 2500, and that the number allocated to the Bay of Plenty is not likely to exceed 40, yet if things get any. hotter' over there than they are at present we may have to find homes , for 20,000.* In this manner Mr E. Thorpe, Child Welfare Officer of Ham- , ilton, who has been appointed to the Bay of Plenty Zone to assist in the matter of placing child refugees from the Old! . Country answered a question at last Friday's meeting of district delegates with regard to the deluge of applications which had been received at all cens tres in, the Bay. Mr Thorpe who outlined the scheme in full said that the British Government had offered in the first instance to pay 5s per week towards th,e upkeep of the children for the duration of the war, but New Zealand's reply had been that the , countr;y ; was prepared to keep them free of cost to the Imperial Government and would undertake to see to their welfare,by bilietting them with approved families throughout the Dominion. Outline of Scheme. Those present at the meeting were: Mr B. S. Barry (in the chair), Mr -iD"'.■■..-V'. Saunders . (Whakatane Borough), Mr J. L. Burnett and. Mr Ward (County Council), Mr L. R. Wilkinson (Tauranga Borough Coun cil), Messrs Gunton, Mundt and Lewis (Tauranga County), Messrs Brown and Earp (Tie Puke), Mr Moody (Opotiki Borough), Mr Gault (Opotiki County), Mr E. Thorpe (Welfare Officer), and Mrs Ryde (Local Welfare Officer). "It may seem a terrible thing to, have to bring children half way round the world to give them a haven of refuge,'" said Mr Thorpe in outlining the scheme, but they say, all's fair in love and war, and so we have just got to make the best of it and face lip to realities. At a special conference called in Wellington to consider the project it had been decided (a) to cut out all officialdom and interference so that it will not be necessary to enquire about a child unless absolutely necessary; (b) to raise no 'bogies' regarding the responsibilities of foster parents, and (c) to leave all arrangements for the placing of children in the hands of the local committee operating on the spot. In this manner, he said the whole thing will become a domestic matter to be administered from the tqwn itself. The Internal Affairs Department will only step in where need-? Ed, and then it will be done through the Child Welfare Officer. Strong Decent "Committee. It would be necessary to appoint a strong, decent committee, which would enquire fully into the placing of the children and ensure that tliley were sent to proper homes. It was anticipated that the first boat load would be leaving England in a week's time, in which case a respite of only five weeks would be given in which to complete arrangements. The Department in Wellington would fix the number destined for the Bay of Plenty, which if say 40, would be broken up into groups of say, Tauranga 10, Te Puke. 8, Whakatane 10 and Opotiki 10. The children would come to the main centre at once where it would be necessary to give them temporary accommodation before they could be senf to the various homes chosen for them. Religion and Calling. The question of religion, said Mr Thorpe would be one for investigation by the committee. Also it would be neccssary to appoint where possible parallel to homes to which the children had been used. It would be hard on a child coming from poor parents to go to a . wealthy home and vice ve a. Likewise it would be hard for the same child to rehabilitate himself or herself when they were returned to their own homes. As far as the transport to the various centres was concerned the department would be responsible for this Mid would senci responsible officers with them till all we're finally disposed of, and in their new homes.

Guarding Against Abuse. . Mr Barry said that he realised that 99 per cent of the applicants Avere genuinely sympathetic, but 'there always remained the persons who were willing to exploit the posi lion, by looking for cheap labour and by making a driiclge 'of the child entrusted to their carp. That wotild be a thing which the committee would. have to guard agaiiist. There was also the person ,! who while kecin enough, to take a child was not ;ih a linaricial position to do so, and likewise the person who caught by the initial enthusiasm, was apt t6 coOl off. < lie recommended a small compact coihmittee, of sound, common-sense people who could keep their mouths ■shut. Need For Two Districts. Mr L. R. Wilkinson contended that the Bay of Plenty Zone was too unweildly in its present form, and moved that it be split into Ijwo areas. He pointed out, that with Whakatane as headquarters it was going to be uneconomical to bring the children past Taifranga, and then back again. He slatted further that he had been in touch with the Department oii the 5 flatter and had been informed that It was quite willing to effect an alteration provided there; wais no objection from the other sections of the zone. Mr Gault seconded and it was unanimously decided to recommend that the zone be divided into two sections, with Tauranga on the north covering Ivatikati and Te Puke, and Whakatane on the South covering Opotiki and all coiinty areas. Evacuation from Danger Bjplt. Mr that the 'Hoirieaufti&ritif&r'tivjefa) in the"-first instance trying to evacuate all children; from a , twenty-mile coastal belt/ which was in danger qrf bombing or other enemy action.' It was hoped in fact ;to depopulate this area but the immediate problem was to send .the children to a place of safety.' •, 'Mr. Barry; asked if a man of military age .who; desired to i offer .a home for a chHd wolild be wise in doing so? .Mr -Thorpe replied that the allocation committee would do well to leave applicants of this class until it was absolutely necessary to include them. Medical O.K. .. . ' Mr Wilkinson urged that all prospective homes should be - medically O.K.d before children should be allowed there. It would not be fair, for instance* he said to alldw a healthy child to go to a home where it ran the risk of contagion qf any sort. -'HT'. Mr Burnett: What iabout the child? Mr Thorpe: They will have been medically examined in any case. You can rely on their health! Mr Barry added that his idea was to make the-''committee a hand-pick-ed group of citizens who would "work in with the doctors and the clergy in an advisory Rapacity. Like With Like. Mr Thorpe appealed to the various committees in selecting homes to put like with like, where .possible. Where a child was "definitely unsuited in a home it was possible to effect a change but it was naturally desirable to place the children permanently. The present idea was to keep the Children here only till hostilities should end but it was quite possible that in three or four years time, the older ones of 15 and 16 would have tt grown to like the Dominion and 'would persuade their parents to come out here and settle. Thus would be born an ideal method of emigration. In closing the meeting Mr Barry urged the district committee to get busy at once and review applications without delay in order that a list could go forward to the Internal Affairs Department from the Bay of Plenty. Mr Thorpe also thanked the delegates for their interest and the obvious enthusiasm with which they were tackling the task ahead.