OHIRO HOME

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 155, 26 March 1920, Page 3

OHIRO HOME

MORE COMFORT FOR INMATES SOUGHT

ALLEGATIONS AND AN INQUIRY

Charges-against the treatment of inmates of the Ohiro Home and tho conduct of the institution were made by a deputation, designated the Labour Kepresentation Committee, which waited- - on the monthly meeting-o£-the Wellington Hospital and' Charitable Aid-Board yesterday. .. The-: deputation consisted •of Messrs. P.- Prnser;-.-Jl.'P., and- ; lt.. H. Stickney' and'ilrs. J. B. Hulbert Mr, J. Glover (member of the board)' introduced' tho deputation.

Mr. Praser. said that he -in ■ 110 way wished;-■to" cast any roflcction upoib, tho administration.or officials .of the home. The complaint of > tho- deputation was against the past policy .of the board and .tho .lines, on. which-the home was being-managed-at tlw present time. ..Ho submitted .that..they were, entitled to the very -best the coinmnnity could give. A large number,of the liialo imnates had given tho best of-their-.Jives in buil'ling up Nev.- Zealand/ others; were. suffering from some, physical or mental- disability. The board, perhaps unwittingly; was .-not doing Ihe best it conld for these old people. . As. to the building-and grounds, something should be dono-to.protect .tl.iq inmates from .the cruel!..winds-- -which Bweep. across-the-grounds'in the winter time. cons.tnic.tion, of tho home .was not inlconformity with nxodenv ideas for mich institutions. The atmosphere of tha place did not oonvov- to the iuind the idea of a home, it was entirely institutional. J'here should bo 'smaller dormitories to permit of more privacy and liberty; ; He h'nd'heoiv" informed that the' inmates were provided With second-hand garments sent-into the'homo l>y people who had no"fi\rthe'r ns'o for them. This, was not right. • Tho- class of food at tli(i' liome and other "lilse Institutions should Be siich as any " menibor of the board-would-enjoy.' He did not think any section'of the community wculd dispute that. Inmates had reported on the lack of - vegetables and the nature of same. Ho had been informed that sonie-.-of the-inmates', spent •• a pcTtion of' their' money 'iu"" ! purchasip'.! luxuries'outside,' such 'as sugar.-- -The liiatte'r oinrht to'l>e tho subject of ah"inquiry. Ho understood that Dr. Wood"house had prepared a report- on '• ■ the home, and lie' hoped' that tlio investigations would bring about a new policy for the administration of tho home. 1

Mrs. Htilbert stated, that slip lintl been informed that the rooms of the inhabitants were locked during «c portion of the., day so that' tho.ra inmates who'were tired could not t;o inside and seek rest. Sho also said that most of the women jnniates were between 60 and 70 years of ag® and many of them did a great, deal of sorubbinp:—more than the speaker would care'to do.. Mrs. TTulbert then, went on to cite the ease of Thomas I'ord (this case has already been investigated and reported upon, by the bijard), an. old. man. njfed 77 years. , He was both deaf, nnd blind and bad only one lep. TTc used to live in a property .lie. owned .;i.n, Douglas Street, but his housekeeper'left anl as he eoiild not. get anyone to-look after him he elected ..to - .go- to the homo . until such' time as another . housekeeper ..was .'secured.. Eventually his house was sold, and .it was questionable whether it had been disposed of to the best adviiiifeisw. It seemed to her . that something: more.' should be ; known about it. There was a want of warmth about the homo, .in winter time.

Mr. W. ,T. Thompson objected to the Statements_ of the. deputation , .being, made public.- -Thov :wer;- meToly hearsay. ■ ;

Mr. T l ...Castle-(chairman): -The members of the deputation are responsible for any statements .tliev make.

Mr. Stickney aserted that the meat served the-inmates was fatty and coarso. the porridso thin and tasteless, 1 the' and - butter- was "doorstep''and scrnpe.'"'; and tha .meals; iVSrS dsSrved'-late;-" Ha had not been- in -home, but 1 W'information had'been supplied by' ; an' inmate. He was not prepared to Vive the namo of the inmate, as his position in the home might ■ be jeopardised. Mr. Castle said that lie ■ understood that the deputation was asking for'an inquiry into the policy and conduct' of the home. He would 'ask ; Mr; Truehridge to state the position regarding the clothes. He was' aware that the board had paid ont a great deal of money for clothes.'

Facts and Figures. Mr. A. E. Tr.uebridge. (superintendent of charitable aid, and master of the Ohiro Home) denied that all' the' dollies worn by the inmates, were supplied, by ■ private persons. The deputation hail been misinformed. lon that point. The board provided all the clothing for the inmates. Occasionally 'some benevolent-ly-disposed people, thinking tliev arc perl forming a kind. action, send left-off clothing to the home.' Not very much was received, however, but lie' had always accepted it in the spirit jji .which it had been given, for he. would be sorry iiot to do otherwise, aiid, he realised that by refusing .it he would' invite severe censure from the hoard. He.would very sorry to have, to decline to accept the clothing. Some wiis received from a benevolent society known as the , Two-Garment Society,' and. had he dedeclined the gifts from this institution he would have, incurred severe 'censure. Such clothing was usually- used for those who came into the home for a day or two without a rag to thfcir backs.'' Such people generally left alter they had'been clothed. He had just received a consignment of clothing from the Te Aro House for the -inmates, which cost the board at the rate' of j65 '10s. per'suit. ' The board was paying from 17s. to -.£1 Is. for ] loots, 3s. per pair for soclcs and'stockings. ss. Gd. for.shirts, 10s. fid. for underpants, and 10s. Gd. for singlets, and this is the clotliing which is served out to the'inmates of the-home:' • ' ■

.Jhft Tie. v. H. .van Staydren"said that ladies and gentlemen" had often • asked ' him if lie 'would-receive' parcels of cloth-' lnir for use at the home, and lie had always accented tlieni.' He could not * e fnu 1T sucll Srifts shoul 'l J>° refused." Jhe chairman considered that the 'denotation had stated' their ■ case clearly and ho assured thtiri that a very fiili infiuiry would-be made into the charges In •reeard to the structure ifeclf, it had'been recognised bv the Charitable Aid- Committee for some time that it. is not' a suitable Dlace. It wis a heritage of tJie past, and- the 'board could' not- getawnv from it. "It had bona' that the board should avail itself of its ' Dronertv of ten acres'at the Lower'Kuft, and build a new home thenv '. He believed that the tim-j was coming when the nresent structure would 'have, to j;o— its unsuitability was recognised. (Hear, hear.! ■

Mr. Pras'er thanked.the board for the courteous hearing-given the deputation, and said that anything the board; might do to improve the conditions for the inmates would havef the full''approval of the - Labour-.Parly.. ,In regard .to the clothintr- Question, -lie-was vary pleased indeed 'to - be/reassured-on the matter, and in conclusion said,- "I--would-rather go naked than accept anybody's cast-oft' clothes." ... .''.' .

The deputation then withdrew, -and discussion iollowed as to tlj" composition of the com mi toe of inquiry,- and -it was ultimately decided to leave the matter in the. hnnds. oftlic CharitaWo Aid and-Policy. Committees for,investigation. T.he order .of reference, is to., bo drawn up bv the chairman and Messrs. ll'Swan and Chapman.