CRECHE PROPOSAL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 44, 30 January 1945, Page 5

CRECHE PROPOSAL

ESTABLISHMENT IN WHAKATANE SUPPORT OF CHAMBER At its last meeting on Thursday evening the Whakatane Chamber of Commerce decided to support the proposal to form a creche in Whakatane "where mothers could leave their children while they were engaged in shopping. Explaining the nature of such an institution, Mr L. King read a let-, ter from the Sister in charge of the Dunedin creche setting out the nature of the undertaking, and also the manner in which the one in that city was run. Their's was supported, he said not only by the Dunedin, City Council which made an annual grant of £100, but also by donations. It was a large establishment, and a staff of four was required to run it. Cooking facilities were, attached to the building and a mid-day meal was served. Toys were also provided and cots, where kiddies could be put down to sleep. A charge of 1/6 or if. a meal were 2/- per day was made. The Chamber was unanimous that to run an institution along these lines in Whakatane would be out of the question. Something more after the style of the one in Nelson Avhere there were no sleeping or eating arrangements, but where kiddies could be left in safe hands was, wanted. ' Mr Canning pointed out that there was going to be a big outlay in erecting a building for a start. The Red Cross were putting a hall up and the V.A.D's would be wanting something to nurse. He thought it might work in. Mr Warren stated that to his mind, the ladies were visualising something more in the nature of a hostel where children could be left under capable and trained personnel in the event of the mother falling ill. Whakatane was ? a small district and he thought a scheme such as this would be impracticable. On the other hand, the original idea of a creche being run simply as a place where, kiddies could be left while the mother was engaged in shopping was a good one and should be carried on with. It was decided to write notifying the ladies concerned that the Chamber wished to support the scheme, and asking what could be done by it in the way of assistance.